People’s expectations from private universities are quite high. In the beginning, 1992-93 when private universities started to come out one after another then parents frustrated from children’s admission turned their attention on private universities. It can be said that many have turned their attention from renowned public universities to private universities. It was even heard that in order to avoid session jam, get education in politics free environment and attain better results boys and girls started to get admitted in private universities and it is still happening.
Initially guardians praised private universities, which is not heard that much anymore. Hence environment has quite changed. There are still no session jams, politics free to great extent (recently what happened in Dhaka and Uttara cannot be just ignored as an accident but can be called as non political incident) and education level improved in some private universities; but in spite of all that students and guardians are more and more attracted towards public universities.
This is a positive sign, not only a sign but a situation of welfare and this improvement has to be taken ahead. New departments and realistic grading system are few of the reasons why students and parents are more attracted towards public universities. However recently increase in student violence shook the wall of that confidence. Friendly environment has to be created in campus. Only then the wheel of progress that stopped abruptly will start rotating again. The fact that, progress is possibility and reality has to be accepted. And limited role of national university in this progress has to be counted. Since renowned colleges (both private and public) under national university have improved in educational level a bit, percentage of pass is good and result quality as in number of first and second class achieving students is much higher than before. Thus national university needs to make its work stronger and more effective. Major role of national university has to be deeply realized.
There are many more reasons behind increased attraction towards public universities and these reasons are by no means damaging to private universities. So what is the way of reigniting the light of hope shown initially by private universities? There should not be any actual conflict in aim, organization, work and achievements between public and private universities. However for some reason those who run private universities and their supporting strength, students and guardians do not realize this truth, let alone express it. Let’s just leave out students but those who are at the helm and sponsors, they have to accept it. Among them there are real philanthropists who built quality institutions like Jogonnath College, Ananda Mohon College, Debondro College, Azizul Haque College, Karatia Shad College. Although these large and traditional institutions were harmed in different times due to political unrest and could not make expected profit, their establishment, performance level, student number and possibilities have to be respected.
Many of us do not consider possibility seriously. This needs to be changed. I am comparing college with university because places where private universities are actually needed more, no private university is built over there yet. Private colleges were built by this country’s patrons of learning. Private universities are also patrons of learning, rich people could not set exemplary spread of education and improving the quality of universities. It has to be believed that they came to path of establishing private universities with a dutiful purpose of educating our talented youth, which is what our expectation was. But as commercial shade of education became clearer the expectations were fading away. Do not know why, the more is discussed about this issue, and hopes and concerns are discussed in University Grant Commission and high level of government, the more private universities are cementing their business methods. They do not focus on issues like improving education level, building own campus outside of metropolitan (especially the private universities that are inside metropolitan are building their permanent campus inside city), regularly hiring teachers. However it came to knowledge that due to grading method students of these universities are getting good grade points but spread and depth of knowledge is not much or there are not many opportunities. Everybody knows that number of students admitted in these universities is limited. Moreover expenses are beyond reach of general public. Recently education cost in few universities increased even more.
With these adversities and difficulties inequality in opportunity for student expecting to attain higher education adds up (as I can see that majority of talented students cannot get admitted into public and private universities and bound to get into college for honors courses) and cripples our higher level education system. We are failing to convert our youth into effective workforce according to their youth. We are not creating environment that is required to develop talent of degree students and to nurture their productivity. We are discussing a lot about reforming higher education. More research and scrutiny will be done. We are also discussing that current private universities of the country have a huge responsibility towards students expecting higher education, and they can create that opportunity.
The founders of private universities are influential and high status people in society. In some cases universities are set up by reputed organizations (BRAC, ASA etc) of the country and abroad. These respected and powerful individuals can easily set up private universities outside of Dhaka and Chittagong like Tangail, Jessore, Mymensingh, Barisal, Bogra. Gradually they can spread their endeavors in populated areas of other districts. If they offer higher salaries as compared to public universities then they can hire qualified teachers and since acquiring land is easy they can easily build their own campus. As the number of students will be very high these universities can keep the education cost with the reach of general people. Such examples were set by few private medical colleges. (Although later these institutions could not keep their resolution, but if they kept trying they would have succeeded)
By offering courses relevant to current trend and important courses that are offered by colleges under National University (like chemistry, physics, math, statistics, business related issues, finance, English, computer science etc); if these courses are included then I believe that effort of private university in any populated area or nearby will be successful. I hope patrons of learning will consider this issue. In this matter University Grant Commission and high level of government have a lot to do. The conditions regarding facilities and funds by private universities can be relaxed in order to bring private universities near public.
If talented youth of this country get proper opportunity for education then it will be matter of joy for everybody, country can produce a lot more efficient and strong workforce and this can be fulfilled by participation of our patrons of learning. Here it has to be remembered that, in year 1992 when private universities started to set up lead by North South University they were fortunate to be blessed and aided by powerful individuals. It is hoped that they will create the path of higher education for our talented youth with the light current demand and significance. By involving themselves with righteous work of spreading education and developing our human resource; the respect, satisfaction and love they will get is boundless.
There is no question of financial profit. If they want to get closer to people then this is the road. Poor farmers, labor, low salary employees, school teacher, and small businessmen, these people are among public. Their children are generally talented; they can cross secondary and intermediate level well because they get school and college nearby, get access to education easily. The authorities of private universities have lots of opportunity to play role in these children’s development and prosperity.