Physical education limping at RU

Academic activities of Physical Education and Sports Science (PESS) department at Rajshahi University (RU) are limping along on limited resources although it has been four years since the department opened.

RU authorities still have not appointed any teacher, nor has it allocated any designated classroom in any academic building for the department.

According to sources at the university, the PESS department was launched in 2015-16 academic year, under science faculty, with 30 seats. Over the past three years, around 90 students enrolled in the department under different academic sessions.

Classes of the department had been conducted by guest teachers and currently 19 such teachers have been conducting courses for three academic sessions, the sources said.

Students of the department said academic activities of a department cannot function properly with guest teachers. 

Hanif, a first-year PESS student, said they were having difficulties attending classes due to irregular timetable of the guest teachers.

“On many occasions, our classes were delayed as they [guest teachers] showed up late. Many of our classes had to be postponed as they could not show up.”

“There had been numerous instances when we had to locate the teacher and run around between different buildings for their convenience to attend a class,” he said, adding that in order to improve this situation, the authorities need to recruit permanent teachers for the department as soon as possible.  

Aside from the teaching staff issue, the department is also suffering from a lack of proper classroom facilities. Currently, the PESS department does not have any designated classroom in any academic building of the university. Instead, it was assigned only two small rooms, which can accommodate 60 students in total, at RU Central Stadium.  

Those rooms are inadequate for the number of students enrolled in the department and the location is not suitable for conducting classes or examinations, complained many students.

Third-year student Biplob said the two rooms cannot fit all students. Every day, when a class is in operation for one batch, another batch has to wait outside. 

With an additional 30 students, who started their class under 2018-19 session, the total enrolment at the PESS department will reach 120. And this is likely to worsen the situation, he also said. 

Rayhan Ahmed, another PESS student, said, “It's really difficult for us to continue our classes and exams in a noisy environment right beside the stadium where different sports activities are held all year round. We suffer the most during our final exams.”

Contacted, M Shahidul Alam, chairman of the department and also a guest teacher, said many times in the past, he had informed the university authorities of the department's issues related to resources shortage. But they paid no heed.

After the correspondent reached RU Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof M Abdus Sobhan for his comment over the difficulties faced by students of the PESS department, he said, “We have to fulfil some basic criteria, including [ensuring adequate] classrooms and teachers, before opening any new department. However, the past administration launched the department without [completing] these things.”

“As a result, students are suffering now,” he added.

When asked how he plans to resolve the situation, the VC said the RU planning committee has submitted a report, recommending recruitment of teachers for the department. The authorities will soon publish advertisements, seeking applications from prospective teachers.

Regarding allocation of classrooms, he said within two to three months, the PESS department will be relocated to Fourth Science Building on the campus.