'Some pvt varsities fail to provide quality edn'
Staff Correspondent
Private universities, except a few ones, have been playing an important role in providing quality education at higher level, as the public universities could not accommodate the increasing number of students, speakers at a roundtable said yesterday.There is a total of 54 private universities in the country and enrolment in these institutions account for six percent of the total enrolment at higher education level while it is 10 percent for the public universities, they said, adding that degree level colleges accommodate the remaining students. However, they said a few private universities have failed to provide quality education. They urged the government to give these institutions more time to improve their academic environment, instead of cancelling the approval given to them. The Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh organised the roundtable 'Role of Private Universities in Higher Education' at Cirdap auditorium in the city, with its Chairman MA Kashem in the chair. The discussants said the proposed accreditation council for the private universities should not impose unnecessary bureaucratic regulations. Speaking as the chief guest, Law Minister Moudud Ahmed said the council should not interfere in the university curriculum and the recruitment of faculty members, but it must safeguard the interests of the students. He also asked the association not to try to protect those private universities who have failed to provide quality education. Accusing some private universities of selling only certificates, National Professor Nurul Islam said it is the responsibility of the government to monitor the activities of private universities. The speakers said the public universities are in the grip of session jam and politics, but the private ones are free from such menace. Describing the private universities as commercial institutions, Editor of The Bangladesh Observer Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury said, "We all are the product of public universities and also responsible for the damage done to the reputation of the universities." As the media plays the role of a watchdog, it should support the initiatives to set up private universities along with constructive criticism, he added. Prof M Alimullah Miyan, vice-chancellor and founder of International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT), presented the keynote paper at the roundtable. President of National Press Club Reazuddin Ahmed, Deputy Editor of the daily Shamakal Nezamul Hossain, Vice-chancellor of North South University Dr Hafiz GA Siddiqui, Prof Nuruddin of Southern University, Prof Lutfor Rahman of Pundra University, Dr Rahim B Talukder of Northern University, Vice-Chairman of the association Abul Quasem Haider also spoke.
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