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SOME recent newspaper reports have indicated that some private universities are just selling academic certificates for money. These so-called universities are offering distance education for which students do not have to attend any class even through the computer networking or any other means. Certificates of these universities can be bought like any other commodity on underhand payment of some price. The matter is indeed shocking and outrageous.
A high powered committee that worked sometime ago to ascertain the performance of the private universities recommended the shutting down of eight of them immediately for their deplorable performance in all respects. The committee also found at least 18 more private universities seriously deficient in many ways for imparting higher education and suggested that their sponsors should be warned to improve standards. If they failed to comply within a stipulated period, then tough penal measures should be taken against them, committee also recommended. Its recommendations also include suggestion for urging most of the private universities to observe rules pertaining to academic standards and maintenance of various physical facilities.
The committee recommended for lowering fees of most of the private universities and admitting poor but meritorious students free of charge or on nominal payments in courses covering the physical sciences, humanities or the social sciences.
The government should encourage the growth of private centres of higher education. But it must be much more serious in performing its regulatory functions to ensure that the private institutions can be set up only in places which meet the requirements of appropriate standards and that subsequently these institutions of higher education run efficiently.
The formation of the said committee to investigate into the affairs of the private universities was the first step for ensuring good quality of higher education in the country. But no benefit will come out from this exercise if its valued recommendations are not properly implemented.
Abdul Hakim
Gulshan,
Dhaka
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