Unified university admission test
There should
not be any
discrimination in matters of receiving quality education
It is encouraging to note that the government has taken an initiative to introduce a unified test system for admission to all universities, aiming to reduce the hassles of admission seekers and their guardians. We welcome the governments initiative. According to a report in this newspaper yesterday, President Abdul Hamid, also the chancellor of all universities, will hold meetings with vice-chancellors (VCs) of both public and private universities to find out ways to hold the unified admission test.
Every year admission seekers and their guardians face a lot of hassles regarding accommodation, food and transport to take part in admission tests in different universities. Even many admission seekers return to their homes after being sick without appearing in the tests. How many guardians can afford to send their children to different cities across the country to take part in university admission tests?
Education is one of the basic human rights of every citizen. Without proper education, a nation cannot prosper. But how many people do enjoy this right in the country remains a question. But some problems have engulfed the education sector. Recruitment of incompetent teachers due to political connection, session jam, realisation of higher tuition and other fees from students of schools, colleges and universities, leakage of question papers before holding of public examinations, apathy of a section of teachers in imparting quality education, coaching business by teachers, brazen loyalty of a section of teachers to those in power and out of power have contributed to the dismal scenario prevailing in the education sector.
There was a time when a significant number of students, who would come out of the public universities with degrees, would fulfill all the criteria of quality education and would shine in their professional life. After the lapse of a few years after the independence of the country, quality of education, including higher education, started to suffer erosion. The country witnessed a mushroom growth of educational institutions, including private universities and private medical colleges. Universities and medical colleges have been set up without fulfilling the conditions as stated in the policies in this regard.
Many of the private universities failed to ensure minimum standard of education. Those are producing certificate-oriented graduates and post-graduates in exchange for a huge amount of money. In many cases certificates are sold in exchange for money. And the parents and guardians of the students are the hapless victims. The present government has done a lot for the improvement of the education sector but much more should be done. There should not be any discrimination in matters of receiving qualityeducation.
