University autonomy now in name not in practice: Syed Manzoorul Islam

How has the corona pandemic affected higher education in Bangladesh?

The impact is massive and alarming. We are advancing with a commitment to building a digital Bangladesh, but we could not take information technology to a large portion of students. We could not find ways to include all students and continue academic activities using internet.

The pandemic reveals two realities. The affluent section of the society is benefiting from information technology. The other thing is, we talk but do not work accordingly. The students deprived of attending to classes for about a year have to depend on their own abilities. But libraries and laboratories, apart from classes, are very important in the higher education.

Supervision by teachers, counselling, group studies and tutorials are also important. A vacuum has been created in these areas. The main income earners of many families have lost their jobs and many students have lost the scope to earn from tuitions and continue their studies due to the pandemic.

How do we overcome this crisis?

It would be very difficult to come out of the crisis if the pandemic prolongs. If everyone from the family to the state level acts simultaneously in the areas of investment, planning and management, it is possible to overcome it. The state has to have a commitment of big investment in the education sector.

Along with the current annual allocation, an additional one to one and half per cent of the GDP has to be allocated in the next few years and there must be a reflection of it in higher education. With this additional budget, it would be possible to provide adequate scholarship to the students of insolvent families, make up the loss due to the coronavirus by taking additional classes and ensuring the inclusion of all students in information technology.

A sound plan has to be drawn up to conduct post-coronavirus education activities and access to information technology has to be made easier to ensure participation of all. There must be proper management of the educational activities and additional funds.

Most of the public universities are going to take admission tests in the cluster system. Some public universities including Dhaka University are not willing to follow the system. How do you view this?

Waste of time and money will decrease and the sufferings of admission seekers' families will also lessen if the admission test is taken in the cluster system. It is usually noted that Dhaka University is on the top of choice for admission seekers. The DU authorities think that they will not get the most talented students if the exam is held in the cluster system. Despite that, the cluster system admission test is going to be held in most of the universities. If this system is arranged successfully and the merit is evaluated properly, the confusion and the opposition against the system will go. I am certain, if things happen in that way, Dhaka University and other public universities will follow the cluster system.

UGC has recommended that private universities follow the cluster system admission test. How realistic is that?

It is still a matter of conjecture, as many private universities admit students without admission tests. There is huge gap of quality education among the private universities. Over half of more than one hundred private universities are not running academic activities with quality of an acceptable level. There is a huge difference between top universities and lower level of universities. What would be the benchmark of cluster system? UGC has to give this due consideration.

We notice rivalry among the university teachers. It is not only party politics but also grouping. Allegations of politicisation in the recruitment have also been raised. How to come out of this?

This is very unfortunate. The main task of teachers is education and research, but as their freedom of expression is recognised, historically they led the intellectual movement, they have taken a strong position against injustice, extremism and communalism. The role of teachers in the liberation war has inspired the people and many teachers have sacrificed their lives.

So the society hopes they would be active in favour of peoples' rights and democracy. But these activities can never reflect party politics.

Their position will be taken to question if they are divided into groups and sub-groups, and if there is party influence in academic activities including recruitment.

Individuals, institutions and the political parties have to think simultaneously to come out of this situation. In the way the universities are being run, if a teacher is a follower of the opposition or plays neutral role and takes the position of opposition, he or she is treated negatively in comparison to pro-ruling party teachers.

The universities, especially those who run the administration, cannot play neutral role even if they want too, or else they will get into the bad books of the ruling party.

Political parties want to use teachers in the interest of the party by keeping them as members of the parties' front organisations.

I think, if the political parties accept the truth that education has a culture as well as politics, which is pro-people, liberal, prospering, which motivates students to be accountable to the society and people, which destroys party politics, they must respect the autonomy of the universities.

The universities will be rid of the shackles of party politics if vice chancellors, teachers and officials are recruited on merit.

Allegations of irregularities have been raised against vice chancellors of a number of universities. Irregularities have been found in the investigation. How will we get the universities rid of irregularities in the most respected posts?

I have mentioned the way earlier. VCs are recruited on political consideration and many compromise with ethics to become VCs. Who knows for what VCs are given cars with flags? Some become reckless with the taste of power. We can easily resolve this if competent teachers with conscience and principles are recruited as VCs.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave autonomy to the universities promulgating an ordinance in 1973 considering the freedom of conscience of teachers. Are the teachers able to uphold that dignity? Do you think the ordinance of 1973 should be amended in the current context?

Most of the teachers upheld that dignity till the eighties. When democracy was established in 1990, the universities lost the strength of autonomy due to onslaught of party politics. Now, the autonomy of university exists in name, not in practice.

There is no necessity to carry out a big amendment to the Ordinance of 1973, only some unnecessary elections, especially dean election, which is the main reason to wield party influence in recruiting teachers, needs to be annulled.

There are 46 public universities. Draft laws have been approved to establish several more universities. There are 107 private universities. Do we need so many universities? Are we able to ensure the proper quality of university?

Universities are needed, but a new university has to be established only after a proper assessment of the necessity of the university and its effectiveness. We need a research university, but there is no initiative for this. Are there skilled and competent teachers to teach at so many universities? So the assessment must come first, then the establishment of a university. Moreover, new universities will run with only 30-40 per cent of capacity if investment is not raised in the education sector. It would be difficult to retain the existing quality let alone enhancing the quality of education.

There are no Bangladeshi universities in the world ranking. If there are a few, those are at the bottom. What is the wrong?

There are several indicators for ranking of universities. They include academic and institutional reputation, teacher-student ratio, research of teachers and recognition of research work and the reference of those in other researches and the ratio of local and foreign students. We are not in a good position in those areas.

In many departments at Dhaka University, some 160-165 students get admission every year. The number of class rooms to accommodate them is limited. How will the quality of teaching increase? It is a great mistake that we are running after quantity not quality. All should get the opportunity to study, but let that happen in a justified manner.

We have seen much anarchy in education and research in the university. What steps should be taken for quality education, basic research, invention and creation of new knowledge?

The first step would be increasing investment in research, management of additional investment and proper planning.

The second step would be creating adequate opportunities of research for teachers and arranging advanced laboratories and libraries. Government officials are sent abroad for learning how to dig ponds whereas teachers are not given scholarship for higher education abroad. The field of research can be widened in association with local industries and signing agreements for research cooperation with foreign universities. Research will be encouraged if merit is evaluated in recruiting teachers. The quality of research will increase if the teachers are provided with necessary materials.

There were only six universities when UGC was established in 1973. Now there are over 150 universities. But in reality UGC has no power. What should be done to increase its power?

The volume of UGC work has immensely increased. Its authority, workforce and infrastructure facilities have to be increased. Also, by empowering UGC, we can constitute a higher education commission. Also by empowering UGC, we can take steps to make higher education effective. Such a proposal has been made to the government.

*This interview, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.