Govt under pressure to grant large chunk of WB loan to universities

FHM Humayan KabirbrThe government is under pressure to give a large amount of grant to the public and private universities borrowing from the World Bank under a proposed education sector project, officials said.brThe World Bank has offered nearly US$80 million as loan to finance the US$91.8 million project. Of the total project fund, $50.2 million will have to be provided as grant to the private and public universities for improvement of their quality, an education ministry official said.brIn addition, the project implementing agency will pay $27.2 million or 29.6 per cent of the total $91.8 million project fund to the consultants, he said.brHow could the government give grant to the profit-making private universities borrowing from a lending agency the official questioned.brThe World Bank recently completed consultations with the government agencies concerned for providing the credit to Bangladesh under a project titled Higher education quality enhancement project, a finance ministry official said adding the negotiations for getting the fund will be held in the next month.brThe University Grant Commission (UGC) will implement the project. brThe finance ministry official said the government is bent upon taking up the project despite opposition by several government agencies, officials said.brAs per the project design, the UGC will provide grant to the private and public universities to enhance their quality in teaching, learning and research.brThe finance ministry official said the Washington-based donor offered similar kind of project to Nepal and Pakistan, which refused to offer grant to private universities borrowing money from donors.brBangladesh has more than 50 private universities, which charge Tk0.175 to 0.5 million from a student to complete a graduation course discouraging access of the students from the poor and middle-class families.brThe government under the Private University Act' 1992 has allowed operation of the private universities in the country to ensure affordable quality higher education for all.brCritics alleged that most of the private universities that lack better campus and other facilities are making money providing education to the students from the wealthy families.brThe education ministry official said the government should find out the deserving institutions first, and then provide them interest-free loan only instead of grant under the proposed higher education project.brAt the higher education level, enrolment rate in the public and private universities is 17 per cent while in the affiliated colleges 75 per cent and in the state-owned Open University is 8.0 per cent.br