A committee that had assessed the private universities recommended earlier the shutting down of eight of them as their performance was found unsatisfactory in all respects. It also found at least 18 other private universities seriously deficient in many respects and suggested that the sponsors be warned to improve the standards. Tough penal measures were prescribed against them for failure to do that within stipulated time.
Recommendations will require the private universities to maintain academic standards and have the needed physical facilities. The committee also recommended lowering of the fees and admission to meritorious students lacking the resources, free of charge or payment of nominal changes.
The establishment of the committee to go into the affairs of the private universities was a good first step to improve the quality of higher education in the country. But no benefit can come out of this exercise if its recommendations are not implemented 'fully' and at the earliest. The caretaker government ordered the closure of five private universities for their deficiencies. There are still other private universities which should be subjected to regulation to improve the quality of higher education in the country.
Fahima Siddiqui
Uttara, Dhaka
The state of the private universities
FE Team | Published: November 05, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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