Feature

And today in the year 2007, we find that with the presence of more than 50 universities majority of which are private universities, Dhaka, has already surpassed Boston, the learning center of the world. Would that in reality Dhaka was the true learning mean center of the world ? We could be very proud-but the situation as on today reveals something different.

If you open any daily newspaper of Bangladesh you will find advertisements form three areas-Real Estate Companies, Financial Institutions (Private Banks and Leasing Companies) and Private Universities. Indeed with private universities education has become a commodity focusing on mainly production-oriented education e.g. Business (BBA and MBA program), Computer Engineering related education and English Language related programs (which is also correlated with better business).

In the early Nineties the Government had opened up the higher education sector in Bangladesh in order to deliver session-jam free, sound and productive education within the country and to arrest large outflow of students for higher education to outside countries.

Now many believe that with the mushrooming of private universities some have become mere business with the participation of family members and friends of rich business people. Indeed a section of businesspersons exploited the concept of private university for personal gain as well as to elevate their social position.

Some times the private universities lack proper facilities e.g. open play ground, laboratory, library etc. but still they are getting increasing number of students because of the new craze for productive education which is marketable.

Because of globalization and demonstration effect acquired though satellite TV and Internet facilities already there is new craze for magic degrees of BBA, MBA or BCS among our students particularly those who can afford. Also there is an executive MBA evening program introduced in almost all the private universitieswhere many executives are enrolling themselves to change their destiny through career progression.

Even for well-off parents there is also another equation that if they send their wards abroad for higher education for long years the course fee along with the cost of lodging, food etc would be too much. If they can get quality education in our own country in a private university then comparative cost will be less with added advantage of wards remaining nearby.

So, finally comes the question of quality education with highly trained faculties and best possible edu care facilities. Many private universities have only a few permanent faculty members and they are dependent on part time faculties from public universities and other sources. We must remember that private universities should not run like normal business ventures and should not be a place for selling certificates only. Quality must be ensured and certificate should be earned by the students. In order to discharge wider social responsibility the authorities of private universities should introduce free tuition for extraordinary meritorious students which will also help to elevate the quality of students through better inputs. Also there should be national accreditation council to monitor and control standards.

We should believe in the theory of survival of the fittest. If standard can be rigorously maintained and quality can be ensured through active collaboration with reputed foreign universities some of our private universities can be true learning centers and they can produce innovative and word-class managers and professionals. Others will be simply 'out of business' soon in the face of fierce competition. Our Army personnel are now a days engaged in different UN missions only because of their world-class quality earned through superior training. If we can impart better and quality education for making better professionals in our universities located in Dhaka then Dhaka would really be the learning center of the world.

The writer is a Chemical Engineer (BUET) with MBA (IBA) and MS (USA).