DUCSU launches teacher evaluation at Dhaka University, administration questions its legitimacy
The Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) is now having students evaluate the teaching quality and professionalism of Dhaka University teachers. For this purpose, a website named "DU Evaluation" has been launched to assign ratings to teachers based on student feedback.
However, the university administration has raised questions about this teacher evaluation initiative. According to them, evaluating teachers is not DUCSU's responsibility. The university has its own policies and institutional framework for this purpose.
The website was officially launched on Thursday at 3:00 PM during a press conference held at the DUCSU building. DUCSU leaders stated that through this platform, students will be able to evaluate teachers from their respective departments based on various criteria.
Teacher ratings are already visible on the website. Some have received a full 5 out of 5, while ratings for others have dropped to 1 or 2.
Criteria for evaluating teachers
Several specific criteria have been included on the "DU Evaluation" website for evaluating teachers. These include course structure and syllabus, teaching methodology, communication and co-operation with students, examinations and assessments, professionalism and overall satisfaction.
Teachers are assigned rating points based on student opinions on these matters.
When a student will attempt to log in to the website using their academic email, a verification code will be sent to that address. After logging in with the code, the student can only evaluate teachers from their own department, with no scope to evaluate teachers from other departments.
DUCSU stated that the website was launched on an experimental basis two days ago. Around 7,000 students have already evaluated teachers. The experimental phase of the website will continue for the next seven days. Necessary changes will be made based on the criticism and suggestions received during this period.
Afterward, based on three months of evaluations and feedback, a comprehensive report will be prepared covering teachers from all departments of Dhaka University. DUCSU stated that the report will be submitted to the university administration.
How students will assign ratings
The website was launched under the supervision of DUCSU Executive Member Umma Uswatun Rafia. Speaking at the press conference, she said that introducing a teacher evaluation system was an election pledge in DUCSU's manifesto. The website was launched on DUCSU's initiative because no administrative solution was reached despite long-standing communications with various levels of the university administration.
She explained that when a student will attempt to log in to the website using their academic email, a verification code will be sent to that address. After logging in with the code, the student can only evaluate teachers from their own department, with no scope to evaluate teachers from other departments.
What DUCSU leaders say
Regarding the teacher evaluation, DUCSU Vice-President (VP) Shadik Kayem stated that the purpose of introducing this system is not to create conflict between teachers and students but rather to improve teaching quality and establish an effective feedback mechanism.
An official system for evaluating university teachers should be based on the university's own policies and institutional processes.
The DUCSU VP noted that students are regularly evaluated through examinations, class tests, midterms and semester finals. However, there has long been no effective institutional mechanism to gather feedback from students regarding how teaching is conducted and where improvements are needed.
Shadik Kayem claimed that DUCSU had been in discussions with the university administration regarding the introduction of a teacher evaluation system since taking office. However, because it was not implemented administratively even after a year, the decision was made to launch the website through DUCSU's own initiative.
"Since the university administration failed, we initiated the teacher evaluation system under DUCSU's initiative," Shadik Kayem said.
'Not DUCSU's responsibility'
Regarding the launch of the teacher evaluation website by DUCSU, Dhaka University Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Abdus Salam stated that such an initiative does not fall under DUCSU's purview.
However, noting that students can express their opinions about different teachers and that such rating systems exist internationally, he said that this is not an official evaluation and that such initiatives may exist informally.
Nevertheless, Professor Abdus Salam emphasised that there should be a specific institutional mechanism for evaluating teachers. Through this, teachers will be able to understand their standing and identify areas that need improvement.
At the same time, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor stated that who can evaluate teachers should also be determined through specific policies.
Professor Abdus Salam noted that an official system for evaluating university teachers should be based on the university's own policies and institutional processes.
Stating that Dhaka University already has its own policy for faculty evaluation, he said that it has been approved at the highest level of the university, and only its implementation remains pending.
DUCSU had been in discussions with the university administration regarding the introduction of a teacher evaluation system since taking office. However, because it was not implemented administratively even after a year, the decision was made to launch the website through DUCSU's own initiative.
Administration's evaluation from next academic year
Dhaka University's other Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Mohammed Almujaddade Alfasane, also does not consider this activity by DUCSU to be appropriate. He told Prothom Alo that evaluating teachers is the administration's responsibility.
The university's work on this matter is already nearing completion and is being carried out in accordance with specific guidelines.
According to Professor Almujaddade, students of Dhaka University will be able to evaluate teachers starting from the 2026-27 academic year.
Stating that the university authorities have considered which students will be eligible to evaluate teachers, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor said that if a student who does not attend classes evaluates a teacher, that evaluation will by no means be rational.
"DUCSU creating this website publicly is in no way appropriate," Professor Almujaddade said.
This could lead to informal ratings of teachers, potentially creating disorder on campus that might later escalate into "mob”. As a result, students could be deprived of the positive outcomes of a formal teacher evaluation system.
Faculty member terms it 'overstepping authority'
Md. Khorshed Alam, an Associate Professor in the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University, raised objections regarding DUCSU's teacher evaluation website.
In a post on Facebook,he wrote that questions remain regarding who should undertake the initiative for teacher evaluation and whether it is DUCSU's job. Evaluating teachers is the responsibility of the university authorities, and in this regard, DUCSU can lobby or create pressure on the authorities.
Khorshed Alam further wrote, "What DUCSU is doing in the name of teacher evaluation is an overstepping of authority."
He also expressed concern that this could lead to informal ratings of teachers, potentially creating disorder on campus that might later escalate into "mob”. As a result, students could be deprived of the positive outcomes of a formal teacher evaluation system, Khorshed Alam added.