Under the current education system in Bangladesh, public universities have transformed into factories churning out frustrated youths. One contributing factor is a lack of proper supervision by the UGC and the failure to increase the annual budget required for the education sector. Even when there is a budget allocation, it is often directed towards university development projects, with little transparency of allocation dedicated to enhance quality of students.
A bleak picture of public university graduations was highlighted in a recent Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) survey. According to the TIB data, 47 per cent of educated youths in the country are unemployed. Another survey by the Action Aid Bangladesh and the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM) indicates that a significant portion of the youth in Bangladesh is at socio-economic risk due to discrimination and a lack of quality education.
A staggering 78 per cent of young people believe they will not get a job after graduation, with this rate rising to 90 per cent for poor students. A 2019 study by the BIDS revealed that the total unemployment among educated youths is 33.32 per cent, with 47.7 per cent employed full-time and 18.1 per cent in part-time or irregular work. These statistics highlight the alarming state of the country's higher education.
So it is necessary to prioritise the quality and technical development of universities rather than their quantity. As unemployment rates rise, addressing the issues undermining quality of education is crucial.
Raihan Sobahan, Student,
Dhaka University
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