The Awami League government has promoted the country’s higher education in the last 15 years in terms of number of universities, facilities and students. There were only five universities in the country with only 20 thousand students after the Liberation War.
But, in the last few years, the government has created opportunities for many students to pursue education in different public and private universities through establishing a number of universities in the country. Starting with only 5 public universities in 1971, the country now has 55 public and 114 private universities.
But it is shocking to learn that teachers at public universities in the country remain absent without approval for leave, lack accountability, and give priority to part-time classes over their regular job. Unfortunately, more than 5000 teachers of public universities out of 16000 have either been staying abroad on scholarship or overstaying for long. They are on different types of leave, according to media reports. Many continue to stay abroad even after obtaining post-graduation or PhD degree, doing part-time teaching or research work. A number of posts are also lying vacant at present.
Besides, many teachers are either busy with consultancy or involved with different private universities and NGOs. So, students are being deprived of proper educational care and quality teaching from the teachers of the prestigious public universities.
5000 teachers of public
universities out of 16000
have either been staying
abroad on scholarship or
overstaying for long
Apart from these, teachers of public universities in the country are now busy lobbying for administrative positions rather than focusing on academic activities. And even sometimes they use students or involve in illegal dealings to serve their narrow interests.
Teachers go to foreign universities for higher education and stay there for a long time violating the rules while many of them when in the country are engaged in politics instead of taking classes. It is really disgraceful as well as undignified.
The university authorities repeatedly served them notices, but they are not coming back. In the name of higher education teachers go abroad and intentionally extend course duration for their own financial benefit.
We think the university authorities should take immediate and effective steps against those teachers, who have been overstaying abroad for long. And they should be punished and discharged from their jobs
Students are alleging that teachers are dedicating more time to personal pursuits and university politics rather than focusing on their regular taking up classes. This has led to a pattern of delayed result publication and disrupted academic routines, contrary to the universities’ central examination regulations.
So, public universities are presently experiencing an unprecedented teacher shortage, which is worsening gradually. Teachers should be more cooperative and sincere.