Reform of higher education, UGC overdue
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Prof. Lutfor Rahman
The University Grants Commission of Bangladesh in its report recently states that the public and private universities were largely unable to meet the objectives of higher education. Among contributing factors it identified influence of partisan politics on student bodies, session jam, lack of transparency and accountability in what the teachers and students do. Teachers paying greater attention to part time jobs and consultancy were no less responsible.
But the report omits how the functionaries as well as the personnel got their appointments in the UGC. Not many of the functionaries know what their responsibilities are. A big deficiency is, the functionaries do not know modern scientific and technological subjects.
They do not know the teacher requirement for teaching the modern subjects. Obviously, they remain indifferent to what the teachers and students need. Their silence, negligence and non cooperation are palpable. Therefore, rectification and modification of the UGC should precede any step to improve higher education.
However, the UGC report could be taken in a positive spirit for the improvement of higher education.
But it could be more relevant if the UGC mentioned its own deficiencies and inefficiency. A month long online discussion on "Higher Education in Bangladesh" can be opened for the educationists at home and abroad to come up with their suggestions.
The objective should be to make Bangladesh's higher education acceptable worldwide. Instead of keeping the problems under the carpet, they should be critically analysed for a solution.
The system of higher education in Bangladesh calls for critical evaluation. Bangladesh ought to know where it stands with regard to higher education in science and technology. There would be no dearth of support from the international organisations. The Prime Minister and the Education Minister ought to give due importance to the issue. The citizens of digital Bangladesh need quality education to be able to compete globally.
(The writer is Science Connect Country Ambassador for Bangladesh of the U N University and founder Vice Chancellor of Science and Technology University in rural Bangladesh).
The University Grants Commission of Bangladesh in its report recently states that the public and private universities were largely unable to meet the objectives of higher education. Among contributing factors it identified influence of partisan politics on student bodies, session jam, lack of transparency and accountability in what the teachers and students do. Teachers paying greater attention to part time jobs and consultancy were no less responsible.
But the report omits how the functionaries as well as the personnel got their appointments in the UGC. Not many of the functionaries know what their responsibilities are. A big deficiency is, the functionaries do not know modern scientific and technological subjects.
They do not know the teacher requirement for teaching the modern subjects. Obviously, they remain indifferent to what the teachers and students need. Their silence, negligence and non cooperation are palpable. Therefore, rectification and modification of the UGC should precede any step to improve higher education.
However, the UGC report could be taken in a positive spirit for the improvement of higher education.
But it could be more relevant if the UGC mentioned its own deficiencies and inefficiency. A month long online discussion on "Higher Education in Bangladesh" can be opened for the educationists at home and abroad to come up with their suggestions.
The objective should be to make Bangladesh's higher education acceptable worldwide. Instead of keeping the problems under the carpet, they should be critically analysed for a solution.
The system of higher education in Bangladesh calls for critical evaluation. Bangladesh ought to know where it stands with regard to higher education in science and technology. There would be no dearth of support from the international organisations. The Prime Minister and the Education Minister ought to give due importance to the issue. The citizens of digital Bangladesh need quality education to be able to compete globally.
(The writer is Science Connect Country Ambassador for Bangladesh of the U N University and founder Vice Chancellor of Science and Technology University in rural Bangladesh).