As many as 741 students enrolled in the summer semester of 2019 at the BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology. It was hoped that the number would increase next year. But, the number of the students enrolled at the university has drastically decreased in 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak. Only 82 students have enrolled this year.
The BGMEA University is an example of the great crisis that the private universities are currently facing. However, the BGMEA University is not the only victim. The scenario is the same for almost all the private universities except a few. The private universities are also facing a deep financial crisis. All the educational institutions have been closed since 17 March last year due to coronavirus. A big crisis has emerged over the overall education as
there have been no direct classes for a long time.
But in the case of private universities, the crisis is twofold, education on the one hand, existence on the other. The salaries, allowances and other expenses of the teachers and staff in the private universities are met with the tuition fees taken from the students. The income of the university has decreased a lot due to the decrease of enrollment.
The Private University Association has compiled a report comparing students' enrolment in the last three summer semesters at 25 universities. It is found that the number of the fresh students has decreased in 22 universities. The number of the students has increased only in two universities and unchanged in one. The number of the students has increased in BRAC University and Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT).
There are 107 approved private universities in the country. Among them, 97 are active. According to the University Grants Commission, the total number of the students in the private universities in the country is about 350,000. Over 16 thousand teachers are occupied in these private universities. The number of officers and employees is about 13 thousand.
Over 800,000 students study in the public universities.
Sheikh Kabir Hossain, the president of the Private University Association, told Prothom Alo that the crisis is deep in the case of most of the private universities. The newly established universities are fighting for their existence. He said it has become almost impossible for these universities to meet the house rent and other expenses. For this reason they sought incentives from the government, but failed. These universities still want the financial incentives, which they will repay later.
Sheikh Kabir Hossain has also identified another problem that some universities are admitting more students than they are approved. As a result, other universities are not getting enough students.
Talking to the students and the teachers, some reasons behind the decrease of enrollment have been identified. Firstly, some students are considering dropping one or two semesters instead of having so-called classes online. The families of one portion of the students are facing financial problems due to the coronavirus outbreak. The delay in publishing the results of the HSC is also another reason for the decline in admission.
The financial crisis of the university has also affected the families of the teachers and staff.
Investigating some universities, Prothom Alo correspondent has found the reports of layoffs and the reduction of facilities. An official of the Bangladesh University, who did not want to be named, told Prothom Alo that the work of many staff members has been reduced due to the decline of students' enrollment. So the authorities have sent them on leave. They are not even fully paid during this leave.
The private universities were permitted to carry on their academic and administrative activities online in May last year. However, some universities delayed to start online based activity even after getting the permission.
The people concerned have said it cannot be said that things are going well now. Only the universities, that are better in providing quality education and in strong financial position are mainly doing well.
Regarding the overall situation, North South University’s vice chancellor Atiqul Islam told Prothom Alo that there are a lot of differences between online and direct classes. Direct classes are more interactive and understandable than online activities.
*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Ashish Basu.