TIB reports on private university: Rhetoric vs. reality

RECENTLY Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) through a research study has poked and pried the corruption of private universities along with their present state. The study revealed the level of corruption and involvement of stakeholders in white collar criminality. Aftermath of reaction of those involved or not is as usual denial. Few weeks or at best months later this story will go into oblivion and new event will be at the forefront of debate and discussion.

Undeniably, TIB report also talks about the contributions of the private universities apart from corruption and the 16-point recommendation for healing the discrepancies. Is it true that ill news runs apace but good news often lacks wider coverage? As part of sample for research TIB resorted to 22 private universities out of 79. The TIB, a leading national NGO, being pioneer in anti-corruption research in the country conducted the study which is first of its kinds as to this privatised education sector.

According to study around 62% university students are now studying at private universities while 38% are in the public universities implying the exponential growth of privatisation of education after its inception in 1992. The report referring the UGC report in 2012 disclosed that the admission of foreign students into private universities was 1642 whereas in public universities was only 525. Foreign students are getting attracted to private universities because of credentials of universities as well as absence of some hassles like session jam, violent student politics and English language for being the medium of instruction. Modern teaching aids are also well utilized in some leading private universities.   

Of course, out of 79 private universities only 20-30 private universities are striving to maintain standard of higher education. They are in stiff competition to each other in pursuit of academic excellence. Only five to ten out of 20-30 are doing better and are competing with leading public universities. Truth to be told most private universities are dependent on adjunct faculties coming from public university teachers coupled with other government, non-government and technical experts, although the Private University Act (PUA), 2010 delimits the number of adjunct faculties to one third of full time teachers with few exceptions.

Supervision and controlling of such institutions for tertiary education is not beyond question. There are only 13 personnel and one member of the University Grants Commission (UGC), for inspection and supervision of these educational institutions. Manpower in the Ministry of Education (MoE) is only seven for approval, audit, supervision and taking actions under the PUA, 2010. The main source of income of a private university is students paid tuition fees and profit of Fixed Deposit Receipt (FDR) in Banks. Allegedly some varsities are keeping their research fund in bank for FDR but showing the UGC about the allocation for research but taking credit. Maternity leave in most private universities is three to four months raising question. The PUA, 2010 has made six percent scholarship mandatory to the poor and meritorious students including three percent for the off springs of freedom fighters. Is this percentage adequate to the UGC and MoE?             

The Daily Star published a special supplement on the private universities on May 29, 2014 with the write ups of leading educationists engaged in some institutions as top level academics and administrators. In these write ups prospects and problems are raised to make such universities better functional in terms of knowledge, innovation and research. Dr. Hafiz G. Siddiqi, Professor Emeritus and former Vice Chancellor (VC) of North South University depicted the prospects and challenges especially of accreditation body and quality. He focused on immediate necessity of accreditation council for quality assurance as per PUA, 2010 questioning the practice of convocation hat as accreditation. Professor Omar Rahman, VC of Independent University Bangladesh (IUB) pointed out four things like highest quality students, faculty, infrastructure and curriculum for its astounding success citing IUB as a dream factory.   

Karl Kraus, an Australian writer and journalist once branded corruption worse than prostitution and his rationale was prostitution might endanger the morals of an individual but corruption invariably might endanger the morals of the entire country.     

As corruption is omnipresent almost in all spheres in the country so how can the Minister gets over sure that the TIB report is baseless. Protesting, mudslinging and blaming opponents and others in case of conflict of interest is common our nature rather than adapting and mitigating constructive criticism. Even, if our government is asked who is responsible for increase of population in the country then without a doubt the auto reply will be the opposition party. The prevailing blame game and conspiracy theory of politicians are hindering the growth of transparency and accountability in all sectors. So, politicians are considered as the weeds of the galaxy with little exceptions.  

Previously, TIB study showed that Government affiliated bodies engaged in corruption in the name of service of the Republic. In reply, Government blamed TIB and other NGOs for doing business with poverty, corruption, environment etc to satisfy foreign donours. Without a doubt many private universities are doing business with education treating education as commodity. People who live in the age of excellence for almost everything including corruption are so witty and slanderous. Power always corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.  

Has the education Minister forgotten that the country will not only be destroyed by those who do the evils but also by those who watch them without doing anything? Abdul Kalam, the former President of India entails the formula of a corruption free country transforming a nation of beautiful minds. He felt the three key societal members namely the father, the mother and the teacher who can make a difference. It is also true that if a teacher makes a mistake then his students will be victims but if a journalist makes a mistake the entire nation will be the victims.     

The TIB report is not absolute in term of denial and acceptance. Even remour has the element of some truth in it. So, TIB research study to some extent has authenticity. Sometimes doubt is better than over confidence as doubt leads to enquiry and enquiry often leads to innovation. Now, people expect that the UGC, MoE and authorities of the private universities will work together to transform failures into success in line with the PUA, 2010, other than blaming each other. To a great extent concerned university authorities may consider the report as diagnosis report for healing of their disease of corruption and other loopholes.

The Writer is Senior Lecturer in Law at  Southeast University, Dhaka.