Authorities of many public universities, including teachers and staff, have got involved in irregularities in development projects and it is a misfortune that investigations into irregularities are carried out against university teachers.
Member of University Grants Commission Prof Abu Taher made the observation while addressing as the chief guest a workshop in the city on performance, preservation of evidence and sending it to the commission according to the annual performance agreement (APA) for the fiscal year 2022-2023 in public universities.
He suggested avoiding unnecessary construction on public university campuses in order to save public money.
The construction of academic, administrative and residential buildings of public universities should be included in the Development Project Proposal (DPP) on the basis of need and priority, he said.
He alleged that in many universities, project works are not completed on time. In this case, they (university authorities) are repeatedly applying for time extension and cost increase which is hiking government expenditure, he also said.
The commission will strengthen supervision to complete these projects on time, he added.
UGC Secretary Ferdous Zaman presided over the inaugural session of the workshop. Prof Taher said that a significant number of residential buildings and halls for teachers, officers, employees and students are being constructed in public universities under development projects.
But it has been seen on the ground that most of the flats in the multi-storied buildings constructed for teachers in some universities are lying empty. On the other hand, students are forced to live outside the campus due to accommodation crisis.
Urging to beautify the design of the academic buildings of newly-established public universities and keep provisions for providing adequate flow of light and air into the buildings, he said that the classrooms of these universities are being built in such a way that AC is needed.
Regarding the repeated renovation of the internal roads of universities under the development project, Prof Taher mentioned that there are examples that authorities of many varsities have renovated same roads on a campus three times a year.
Mr Ferdous Zaman said that development projects should be implemented with specific goals and on time.
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