Plan to bring govt colleges under public varsities
No progress in 2yrs
HARUN UR RASHID
The idea of bringing government colleges under the control of public universities to reduce the pressure on National University (NU) does not seem to be viable. A huge amount of money, skilled manpower and amendment of rules will be needed to put it in place. Two years have passed since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced that the colleges would be brought under the control of public universities. However, no progress has been made in this regard.
Sources in the University Grants Commission (UGC) suggested that the requirements would erode the coffers of NU. Neither are the universities equipped to take on the extra burden. The UGC recently sent a letter to the education ministry, seeking sanction for another Tk 30 crore per year to create 830 posts to open college inspection department at the 20 public universities. Of those posts, 15 are for Grade 3, two for Grade 4, 37 for Grade 5, 14 for Grade 6, 67 for Grade 7, 106 for Grade 9, 31 for Grade 10, 62 for Grade 11, 16 for Grade 12, 63 for Grade 13, two for grade 14, 52 for Grade 15, 130 for Grade 16, one for Grade 17, three for Grade 18, four for Grade 19 and 225 for Grade 20 officials.
The UGC committee made four urgent recommendations to the government. Among those is sending letters to 17 universitiesexcept Dhaka, Rajshahi and Chittagongasking them how much money they would need to build the infrastructure to open the college inspection department.
Those universities that do not have provisions to include other educational institutions need an amendment to the rules, the letter said. When the government colleges are separated, around 12 lakh students would come under the public universities. Naturally, this would reduce the income of the NU, and its earning would not be enough to pay the salaries and allowances of teachers and other employees, another recommendation said. Government allocation would be required then to pay the salaries and allowances, it added.
The letter further said that the proposed universitiesexcept Dhaka, Rajshahi and Chittagongdo not have skilled manpower to have a college inspection department. So, proper training is needed to increase manpower skills before decentralising the colleges.
The UGC believes that the Prime Ministers directives can be fulfilled by following the recommendations. Dr Ferdous Zaman, additional director of the UGC and member secretary of the UGC Recommendation Committee, confirmed that such a letter has been sent to the ministry. Weve sent the letter to the ministry with several recommendations to be fulfilled before government colleges can be brought under public universities, he added. Education secretary Md Sohrab Hossain told The Independent that the process of including colleges under public universities is still being examined. Were checking out how to implement it. Its still under process, he said.
During her visit to the education ministry on August 31, 2014, Sheikh Hasina had given directives to bring colleges with bachelors and masters degree courses under public universities to improve their quality of education and reduce pressure on the NU. According to NU sources, around 2,107,602 students are currently enroled in some 2,116 educational institutions, both government and private. Of these, only 275 are government colleges, to which nearly 13 lakh students are admitted. Some vice-chancellors said integrating the government colleges under the existing regional public universities is a long procedure as many issues have to be settled.
Prof. AKM Nur-un-Nabi, vice-chancellor of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, told The Independent, Long discussions have to be held on various topics. Its important for coordination and improvement of the quality of education. Several issues, such as the status of the college teachers, the syllabi, and curricula, have to be thrashed out.
