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25pc public university teachers out of classroom


Published : 11 Jan 2020 09:17 PM | Updated : 06 Sep 2020 10:21 PM

Around 25 percent public university teachers are enjoying holidays year after year in the name of educational leave. According to University Grants Commission, out of the 14,556 public university teachers around 3,500 are not taking classes at present on different grounds. Of them, 2,144 are on educational leave while 1,100 are serving at different private universities on contractual or part time basis taking leave.

Sources concerned said, even though their respective periods of leave are over, many of them are yet to return to the campus. As a result, normal academic activities have been hampered, while the universities have been incurring additional expenses in paying them their salaries and other benefits.

Not only this, these teachers are hiding their part time/full time jobs like in private universities, NGOs, businesses, consultants of foreign institutions etc. Because of this, public university students are suffering. The dignity of the university is also eroding.

Out of 1,659 teachers of Dhaka University, 269 teachers are on leave. And in Comilla University out of 193 teachers, 52 teachers are on leave. Of the 130 teachers at Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, 35 are on vacation. 75 out of the 304 teachers of Sher E Bangla Agricultural University are on educational leave. In almost every university, teachers did not join work after expiry of their study leave tenure.

Thus, educational activities are being disrupted due to the absence of teachers. Problems arise as there is no policy regarding how many teachers in a department can go on vacation.

A professor told the reporter that when a teacher goes on vacation, no opinion is being taken from the department chairman on how the department will operate. This disrupts teaching.

An administrative source confirmed that as per the rules, a teacher can take up to seven years of educational leave, and can enjoy all financial benefits during the leave period. So many of the teachers are taking advantage of this and many earn extra income. And even also withdraws money from the university. Lastly those who went abroad in the name of educational leave stays there permanently.

Many students complained that the teachers of the public universities are too busy taking classes in private universities. Many teachers do not conduct classes regularly in the public universities but they do not miss any class in the private university. Again, the matter is being kept secret by the university authorities. It has been alleged that the administration concerned exclusively supports this wrongdoing, hoping to win teacher politics and various elections. There are rules for teaching in private universities or part-time jobs. But most teachers do not follow the rule.