Bangladesh Accreditation Council Act okayed

No degrees from public, private universities without approval of the council

The government yesterday approved the ‘The Bangladesh Accreditation Council Act, 2016’ with a view to ensuring standards of higher education both public and private in the country. 

The law will facilitate establishing an Accreditation Council that would provide the universities accreditation for the activities of the higher educational institutions after scrutinising their activities. 
The Act was approved at the cabinet meeting at the Cabinet Division with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. 
Cabinet secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam briefed the reporters about the Council law after the cabinet meeting. 
Earlier on February, the Cabinet endorsed the draft law to form an accreditation council for higher education. 
Cabinet secretary said the Council would have the responsibilities like ensuring quality education, accrediting the higher educational institutions and its curriculum activities, formation of separate accreditation committee for each discipline, determining the conditions of the accreditation and confidence certificate and canceling the accreditation and confidence certificate under reasonable ground.
As per the law, the Council would be an autonomous statutory body headed by a chairman and 12 other members including four full-time professor level members and eight part-time members. 
 Among the eight part-time members, there would be one full-time member from the UGC, a representative of the education ministry who would not be below additional secretary status, one representative from the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh. 
Besides, one representative each from professionals, quality assurance and accreditation experts, and the country's apex trade body Federation of Chambers will also be on the council, a government appointed experienced education expert from education administration and an experienced person from Information and Communication Technology. 
About the qualification of the Chairman and members, the Cabinet Secretary said they must have 25 years of experience in teaching in public universities along with minimum 10 years of teaching experience as professors. 
Such provisions will now bar the universities to grant degrees without the council's approval, education ministry source said. 
It would be a criminal offence if the universities provide certificate out of the jurisdiction of Bangladesh National Qualification Framework (BNQF), the law said. 
The University Grants Commission (UGC) would formulate and the government would approve the BNQF that would work to ensure quality of academic activities. 
The universities would not provide any wrong information and hide any information to the persons, appointed by the Council, during their visit to the university. If it is proved it would be a criminal offence. 
The Accreditation Certificate of the universities can be suspended/withdrawn/cancel as per the magnitude of the offence committed by the university, the law said. 
The council would be accountable for its activities to the government, the law said. 
In April 2012, the education ministry approved the primary draft and sought opinions of ministries, universities, and departments concerned, and put it on its website seeking public opinion. Finally the law was approved. 

Bangladesh Accreditation Council Act okayed

No degrees from public, private universities without approval of the council

The government yesterday approved the The Bangladesh Accreditation Council Act, 2016 with a view to ensuring standards of higher education both public and private in the country. The law will facilitate establishing an Accreditation Council that would provide the universities accreditation for the activities of the higher educational institutions after scrutinising their activities. The Act was approved at the cabinet meeting at the Cabinet Division with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Cabinet secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam briefed the reporters about the Council law after the cabinet meeting. Earlier on February, the Cabinet endorsed the draftlaw to form an accreditation council for higher education. Cabinet secretary said the Council would have the responsibilities like ensuring quality education, accrediting the higher educational institutions and its curriculum activities, formation of separate accreditation committee for each discipline, determining the conditions of the accreditation and confidence certificate and canceling the accreditation and confidence certificate under reasonable ground. As per the law, the Council would be an autonomous statutory body headed by a chairman and 12 other members including four full-time professor level members and eight part-time members. Among the eight part-time members, there would be one full-time member from the UGC, a representative of the education ministry who would not be below additional secretary status, one representative from the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh. Besides, one representative each from professionals, quality assurance and accreditation experts, and the countrys apex trade body Federation of Chambers will also be on the council, a government appointed experienced education expert from education administration and an experienced person from Information and Communication Technology. About the qualification of the Chairman and members, the Cabinet Secretary said they must have 25 years of experience in teaching in public universities along with minimum 10 years of teaching experience as professors. Such provisions will now bar the universities to grant degrees without the councils approval, education ministry source said. It would be a criminal offence if the universities provide certificate out of the jurisdiction of BangladeshNational Qualification Framework (BNQF), the lawsaid. The University Grants Commission (UGC)would formulate and the government would approve the BNQF that would work to ensure quality of academic activities. The universities would not provide any wrong information and hide any information to the persons, appointed by the Council, during their visit to the university. If it is proved it would be a criminal offence. The Accreditation Certificate of the universities can be suspended/withdrawn/cancel as per the magnitude of the offence committed by the university, the law said. The council would be accountable for its activities to the government, the law said. In April 2012, the education ministry approved the primary draft and sought opinions of ministries, universities, and departments concerned, and put it on its website seeking public opinion. Finally the law was approved.