40 teachers for 1,000 students at PSTU

Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU) is beset with manifold problems.

Problems include dearth of teachers, lack of adequate accommodation for students, shortage of vehicles and poor telephone facilities. There are only 40 teachers to teach 1,000 students.

With such limitation an ambitious decision of the university authorities to open four new faculties like Computer Science, BBA, MBA, Marine Fisheries, Inland Fisheries and Veterinary Science has raised great concern among people.

Vice-Chancellor (VC) Dr Prof AKM Abdul Hannan Bhuyan is very hopeful to open the new faculties in the ongoing education year.

The proposal to open the faculties is under process in the ministry concerned. The VC said he already submitted an application demanding 50 computers for the Computer Science Faculty to the Science and Information Technology Ministry. Marine fisheries and Inland Fisheries Faculty will be set up at Kuakata sea beach as an out campus of the university. To established this out campus 800 acres of land has already been requisitioned. Another faculty named Veterinary Science will be set up at Barishal town by merging Veterinary College with the university. Now there is only Agriculture Faculty in the university.

No initiative has been taken as yet to fill up over 50 posts which are lying vacant for a long period.

About 420 students reside at two existing halls named Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall and Chand Sultana hall on the University campus while the rest 500 students face an acute accommodation problem.

Only two university buses ply for transport of students. The university has is a medical centre with a medical officer where shortage of medicine is a regular feature. The government donated a new ambulance there recently.

The VC told this correspondent that four new faculties will be opened under the proposed five-year plan of the university. He said English will be taught in two summer semesters to develop skill in English language. Students will get an opportunity to work with local farmers practically. Local farmers also will also get an opportunity to know cultivation of land in a scientific method.

The university was established on February 26 in 2002 on 72 acres of land on the campus of former Patuakhali Agriculture College.