Needed more public universities
Enamul Haque | Thursday, 5 June 2008
A total of 13 public universities in the country are proving absolutely inadequate to cater to the growing student population. In sharp contrast, one is reminded that the number of private universities has swelled to 52. Traditionally, the public universities were considered more suitable centres for higher education because of the environment for learning provided by their large campus spaces, faculties and other physical facilities. Because of these factors they were regarded as full-fledged universities, unlike the private universities, lacking the basic amenities.
The public universities continue to be the first choice for a majority of higher admission-seekers. The public universities are affordable as they charge much less than what the private universities do with regard tuition and other fees. The standard of education at the public universities is also generally better than the private ones, barring a few. There's no denying that only a handful of the private universities maintain perhaps better educational standards than their public sector counterparts.
It is, therefore, absolutely desirable that public universities should be mindful to address the question of quality of education. And, of course, the government should go for setting up more public universities to meet the growing demand for higher education. In our socio-economic reality, university education is not affordable for many talented students. Indeed, in many countries, specially with social commitments, the government set aside enough resources for education under the public sector, for the simple season that private education is costly. These countries try to make education almost free for the young citizens. They are aware that it pays off by creating human resources, who in turn lead the engine of economic growth. Therefore, there is ample justification to increase governmental allocations to the existing public universities and increase the number of such universities.
The government's investment in the establishment of public universities has been insignificant since the independence of the country. And this is quite unfortunate. The government needs to substantially increase resource allocation to establish more and more public universities. It should also increase the allocations to the existing public universities.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) in its report, sometime ago, stated that only about 12 per cent of the budget of the public universities is spent on development and the rest goes to pay salaries and other benefits of the teachers and employees. The scanty amount, spent on development, underlines the pressing need to increase governmental allocations for the universities. It, however, in no way, ignores the responsibility by the university administrations, to strike a balance, on their own, between amounts they spend on developmental activities and for research on one hand, and expenditure they have to incur for footing the salaries and wages bills for their teachers and the employees, on the other.
The public universities can also increase their fees, which are very low. Guardians are unlikely likely to mind if these universities go for reasonable and bearable increases in fees, if they are given to understand that the money would be spent for providing better education. The public universities can also increase their earnings by undertaking research for the public as well as private sector organisations and by providing professional services to them.
But the foremost responsibility for the public sector universities would be to transform themselves into centres of excellence. Neglected for long, these universities can not afford to do it anymore. They must be knowing it too well how the universities, across the world, and in the nearby regions, have changed in recent times.
The public universities continue to be the first choice for a majority of higher admission-seekers. The public universities are affordable as they charge much less than what the private universities do with regard tuition and other fees. The standard of education at the public universities is also generally better than the private ones, barring a few. There's no denying that only a handful of the private universities maintain perhaps better educational standards than their public sector counterparts.
It is, therefore, absolutely desirable that public universities should be mindful to address the question of quality of education. And, of course, the government should go for setting up more public universities to meet the growing demand for higher education. In our socio-economic reality, university education is not affordable for many talented students. Indeed, in many countries, specially with social commitments, the government set aside enough resources for education under the public sector, for the simple season that private education is costly. These countries try to make education almost free for the young citizens. They are aware that it pays off by creating human resources, who in turn lead the engine of economic growth. Therefore, there is ample justification to increase governmental allocations to the existing public universities and increase the number of such universities.
The government's investment in the establishment of public universities has been insignificant since the independence of the country. And this is quite unfortunate. The government needs to substantially increase resource allocation to establish more and more public universities. It should also increase the allocations to the existing public universities.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) in its report, sometime ago, stated that only about 12 per cent of the budget of the public universities is spent on development and the rest goes to pay salaries and other benefits of the teachers and employees. The scanty amount, spent on development, underlines the pressing need to increase governmental allocations for the universities. It, however, in no way, ignores the responsibility by the university administrations, to strike a balance, on their own, between amounts they spend on developmental activities and for research on one hand, and expenditure they have to incur for footing the salaries and wages bills for their teachers and the employees, on the other.
The public universities can also increase their fees, which are very low. Guardians are unlikely likely to mind if these universities go for reasonable and bearable increases in fees, if they are given to understand that the money would be spent for providing better education. The public universities can also increase their earnings by undertaking research for the public as well as private sector organisations and by providing professional services to them.
But the foremost responsibility for the public sector universities would be to transform themselves into centres of excellence. Neglected for long, these universities can not afford to do it anymore. They must be knowing it too well how the universities, across the world, and in the nearby regions, have changed in recent times.