Righting wrongs in education sector
Sunday, 5 October 2008
The system of education in the country is a highly problem-ridden one. There are deficiencies in the quality of education imparted to students at all levels ---primary and secondary and tertiary. Changes have been made in the curricula of primary, secondary levels from time to time. But the curriculum at the tertiary level classes, mainly in public universities, has remained, more or less, unchanged. Quality of education aside, the lack of administrative control and discipline has been troubling the country's higher education for long. The National University, which regulates hundreds of degree and university colleges across the country, is handicapped by inadequate manpower, lack of logistics and irregularities and the education ministry until now could not give enough time to address those problems. The problems of the public universities, which are autonomous, are enormous in size. The private universities, except for a few, are found to be more interested in making money than spreading quality education. The University Grants Commission (UGC) with its limited power could do little to improve the situation either in public or private universities.
However, the quality of education and other regulatory issues came up for discussion at a policy meeting held under the auspices of the ministry of education recently with education adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman in the chair. The adviser told a news conference at the end of the meeting that a high-powered committee would be formed to enhance the level of 'effectiveness' of the National University. He also informed the journalists that the proposed private university ordinance would be placed before the next meeting of the council of advisers for consideration. It is good to know that the present caretaker government is trying to resolve some of the basic problems of education in the country. Its political predecessors were not that much interested in improving the quality of education or ensuring accountability on the part of those who spend a large amount of taxpayers' money every year. At times they took ad-hoc measures which produced no tangible outcomes.
In the absence of an effective oversight body, irregularities are galore in public universities. The government in such cases is helpless since its actions might trigger adverse reaction from the protectors of "autonomy" for universities. As far as private universities are concerned, most sponsors have flouted the provisions of the private university act and rules concerned in the absence of an effective regulatory body. Had somebody ensured rigorous enforcement of the provisions of the act and rules thereof, the mushrooming of private universities could be largely avoided. It appears that for reasons of sensitivity, the government is unable to handle many issues that crop up from time to time in educational institutions at the tertiary level. To address those as well as other issues, the presence of an independent body is being felt. At the policy meeting held recently some eminent educationists demanded setting up of a permanent education commission. The demand or suggestion, whatever it was, for a permanent commission is an appropriate one as might help address some of the major issues in the education sector. However, management of all educational institutions, including universities, private and public, should be made accountable to the commission. If necessary, the existing laws that stand in the way of ensuring such accountability should either be amended or repealed.
However, the quality of education and other regulatory issues came up for discussion at a policy meeting held under the auspices of the ministry of education recently with education adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman in the chair. The adviser told a news conference at the end of the meeting that a high-powered committee would be formed to enhance the level of 'effectiveness' of the National University. He also informed the journalists that the proposed private university ordinance would be placed before the next meeting of the council of advisers for consideration. It is good to know that the present caretaker government is trying to resolve some of the basic problems of education in the country. Its political predecessors were not that much interested in improving the quality of education or ensuring accountability on the part of those who spend a large amount of taxpayers' money every year. At times they took ad-hoc measures which produced no tangible outcomes.
In the absence of an effective oversight body, irregularities are galore in public universities. The government in such cases is helpless since its actions might trigger adverse reaction from the protectors of "autonomy" for universities. As far as private universities are concerned, most sponsors have flouted the provisions of the private university act and rules concerned in the absence of an effective regulatory body. Had somebody ensured rigorous enforcement of the provisions of the act and rules thereof, the mushrooming of private universities could be largely avoided. It appears that for reasons of sensitivity, the government is unable to handle many issues that crop up from time to time in educational institutions at the tertiary level. To address those as well as other issues, the presence of an independent body is being felt. At the policy meeting held recently some eminent educationists demanded setting up of a permanent education commission. The demand or suggestion, whatever it was, for a permanent commission is an appropriate one as might help address some of the major issues in the education sector. However, management of all educational institutions, including universities, private and public, should be made accountable to the commission. If necessary, the existing laws that stand in the way of ensuring such accountability should either be amended or repealed.