Henceforth, permission will have to be taken for opening private educational institutions. Education ministry sources said the decision was taken to streamline such institutions from the secondary to the college level as they faced various problems in the past. Till now, anybody could set up an institution without obtaining permission from the ministry. But it was seen that students and guardians faced various problems later on.
Salma Jahan, deputy secretary of the education ministry, told The Independent that the government had taken the decision to run the institutions properly.
“A circular has been issued. We want to make the non-government educational institutions accountable. When any such  institution is set up without permission from the education ministry, it creates problems later on,” she said. The government would not allow opening of educational institutions where the number of schools and colleges are more compared to the availability of students, the circular said.
It also said that the ministry would decide on opening new institutions in backward, charland and inaccessible areas after considering all aspects.
However, the ministry would take a decision on opening institutions where the number of students is more compared to that of institutions.
The ministry said the Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BENBEIS) would not provide the Educational Institute Identification Number (EIIN) to an institution set up without prior permission.
The circular has also directed the Directorate General of the Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (DSHE) and all Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Boards to cancel monthly pay order (MPO) facilities of institutions from where no students pass the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) or equivalent exams in 2016. According to figures available, there are 25 institutions from where not a single student passed the HSC and equivalent exams. Eight of them are under the Rajshahi and Dinajpur education Boards, three under the Dhaka Board, one under the Jessore Board and five under the Madrasa Board. Prof. Ahmed Hossain, chairman of the Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board, Dinajpur, told The Independent: “We have eight such colleges from where no student passed in 2016. Some of these colleges are new. We will take measures, as per the government’s directives, to cancel MPO facilities.” The ministry has also decided to cancel the approval of the HS-level educational institutions where no students have taken admission after the authorities of such institutions have obtained the permission of teachings. The government has directed the DSHE and all education boards to take steps in this regard.  The circular said the order would remain in force until the next directive is issued.