Annual spending per-student at the National University has been decreasing gradually and reached at a meager Tk 702 and the monthly Tk 58 in 2022. This picture has been revealed at the annual report of University Grants Commission (UGC) published on the information of 2022.
The UGC report noted that the National University spent Tk 1,151 for each student in 2020, while it declined to Tk 743 in 2021, and Tk 702 in 2022. That means a student is allocated only Tk 58 every month.
Among all university-level students, around 72 per cent study at different colleges under the National University. There are approximately 3.2 million students in total at the university’s 2,257 colleges. But the quality education in these colleges under the National University, which was established in 1992, has been subject to questions for a long time. There are allegations that the colleges are more focused on exams than regular classes.
Currently, the number of approved public and private universities stands at 169. Of these, there are 55 public universities including four autonomous ones and 114 private universities. However, the comparative cost per student data was calculated based on spending in 50 public universities.
According to UGC, spending is always more in science, medical, engineering and agriculture universities than in the general universities. Specialised universities entail more laboratory work. Also, the number of students is comparatively less in these specialized universities.
Educationists maintain that universities that spend more on students are comparatively better in quality of education and research. It is normal for the universities that spend less to lag behind in education.
As an amount, spending Tk 702 per student is nothing but ridiculous. Allocation in education is lowest in Bangladesh among the south Asian countries.
However, it remains to be seen whether there is a loophole in the UGC’s calculation. National University’s vice-chancellor Moshiur Rahman raised the question whether the teachers' salary and the cost of education development projects have been included in that calculation. If these are not taken into account, then the VC of the university cannot avoid responsibility. The UGC said it has compiled the figures based on the data provided by the universities.
No matter how much the VC tries to conceal the truth, he must admit that spending per-student is much less in his university.
There should be a balance in government spending on students in higher education. It cannot be acceptable at all that some students would be allocated Tk 300,000 while some others only Tk 700. The quality of higher education cannot be improved leaving out the students of National University. In our society, there are many other areas that are beset with blatant discrimination. But the inequality in education is the most damaging.
The guardians of the education sector need to rethink to do away with the poor state of higher education. Take practical steps by eliminating repeated experiments with the colleges under the National University and increase allocation for the students there.