Students should not serve interest of political parties
Students should be allowed to do politics to achieve their own rights and solve their own problems, but not to serve the interest of political parties, said the speakers at a roundtable yesterday.
Similarly, the teachers also should not engage themselves in partisan politics, but they may have independent political views, they added.
The roundtable titled 'Quality of education and impact of student politics: Reflections of students, teachers and guardians' was organised by Bangladesh Heritage Foundation at the Bilia auditorium in the city.
The speakers stressed the need for holding meetings among the students, teachers, guardians and political leaders to reach a consensus that the students would not be used further to achieve political gains.
Speaking as chief guest, University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof Nazrul Islam said students should be given the right to do politics, but they must not abide by any political party.
“There should be one union like Ducsu for the students, but it is a matter of regret that during the past 15 years of democracy the Ducsu election could not be held,” he added.
Prof Nazrul said teachers should have their own political views but they too should not get involved in partisan politics.
He said around eight lakh students are studying in 30 public universities and 1.3 lakh students in 51 private universities, but with the exception of a few the quality of education in private universities is not up to the mark.
“There are some private universities where students do not have to attend the classes, rather the certificates are sold there,” he added.
Prof Nazrul said the UGC has submitted to the cabinet a draft of the Private University Ordinance 2008 which may ensure quality education in private universities.
But the draft is not still approved by the advisory council which was supposed to approve it by March last, he said.
“The proposed ordinance could ensure quality education in private universities but their owners are opposing the ordinance for their business interests,” he alleged.
The UGC chairman called for necessary support for students and educational institutions to ensure quality education.
Former vice-chancellor of Dhaka University Prof AK Azad Chowdhury said the students should not be blamed for low quality of education as they are the victims of bad practices of student politics.
“Like other countries there are ideological differences in our society too, but in Bangladesh we tend to be intolerant to other's views,” he added.
Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan, father of Sony who died in crossfire on Buet campus a few years ago, said, “We must ensure that no other Sony dies for politics.”
“The students of our country are meritorious but we could not provide them with proper academic environment. If they get this environment they themselves would enhance the quality of education,” he added.
Bhuiyan said the students should be allowed to exercise their political rights only to deal with the issues concerning them.
“Time has come when the students, teachers and guardians should be united and sit with the political leaders to sensitise them for not using the students for their political purposes,” he added.
Prof Akhteruzzaman of Islamic history and culture said quality of education has deteriorated due to distortion of history and unhealthy student politics.
He called for reforms in student politics and national consensus on some vital issues.
President of Dhaka University Teachers' Association Prof Sadrul Amin said the students are frequently used by political parties for their interests.
He said lack of proper planning and curriculum is mainly responsible for the deterioration of education.
Vice-chancellor of South East University Prof M Shamsher Ali, Prof Imtiaz Ahmed of Dhaka University and students from different universities also spoke at the meeting.
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