University Grants Commission (UGC) on Wednesday directed all public universities to shut their evening courses.
In a press statement, the UGC, the apex body of all the affiliated public, private and international universities of Bangladesh, expressing grave concern over the country’s higher educational institutions said running of such evening courses at the public universities are tarnishing the image of educational institutions.
The UGC gave a 13-point directive to the public universities, saying it is being noticed that without taking any prior permission, the public university authorities are opening new department, programmes and institutes and enrolling students and conducting academic activities, the press release said.
The press release said the vice-chancellors as the chief of the administrations are carrying out their assigned responsibilities with their merit and wisdom. But in many cases, it is being noticed that the university authorities are not following the proper rules and regulation while giving employment and promotion,
A letter in this regard has been sent to the vice-chancellors of all public universities, the press release reads which was signed by Dr Shamsul Arefin, director of communication and information rights department of the UGC.
The move came two days after President M Abdul Hamid came down heavily on the evening courses in public universities, saying that a section of teachers had turned university into a business institution disrupting its overall academic environment.
On the occasion of 52th Convocation of Dhaka University on Monday, President M Abdul Hamid on Monday came down heavily on the evening courses in public universities, saying that a section of teachers had turned university into a business institution disrupting its overall academic environment.
“Different public universities have opened many departments, evening courses, diploma courses and institutes. Apart from the regular courses, many students are coming out successfully from such ‘business course’ and a section of teachers are getting cash benefit turning the university into a business institution,” he told
Expressing grave concern over the academic environment in public university, the President said “Many public universities changes its look into private ones at night . . . The campus also becomes a fair in the evening. But it cannot be accepted at all.”
The President observed the coldness of some teachers in taking regular courses while they (teachers) remain very serious to teach in the evening and diploma courses in private universities and it is due to getting handsome money from there. ”
He urged the university authority to reconsider the running evening courses in the university, saying “I can’t like this evening course system. There is no fair academic environment after the evening.”
President Hamid, also the chancellor of the university, asked the university vice-chancellors and teachers to ensure the proper use of each paisa of the university in an honest manner.
Calling the vice-chancellor as the main guardian and academic leader of the university, the President said, “Sometime their activities indicate that they (VCs) have perhaps forgotten their actual tasks . . . Getting different administrative post-position, many teachers even forget their identity.”
