PUBLIC universities need to be put in order, with an immediate resumption of academic and administrative activities that have stalled for about two months, partially since July 1 when teachers began work abstention demanding their exclusion from a universal pension scheme that the government finally cancelled on August 3. Classes and examinations could not be held as university students, later joined in by students from private universities, colleges and schools, had held protests since then, first, demanding the cancellation of civil service job reservations and, then, reforms in the reservations. The protests turned violent because of attacks on the protesters by Awami League people and law enforcement units in mid-July that culminated into a student-led mass uprising that topped the authoritarian regime of the Awami League on August 5. A wave of resignation of top university officials, forced in some cases after the fall of the Awami League government, premised on the politicisation of the universities especially in the past decade and a half, has thrown the institutions into disarray. Vice-chancellors of 29 out of the 56 public universities have resigned until August 29, as education ministry officials say. Pro-vice-chancellors, registrars, treasurers, proctors, deans, provosts, syndicate members and house tutors have resigned in many universities.
At least 75 top administrative officials of the University of Rajshahi have resigned. At least 70 officials of Khulna University have resigned. The public universities, along with all other educational institutions, however, reopened on August 18. The ministry appointed the vice-chancellor to the University of Dhaka on August 27 and to the National University the next day. Vice-chancellors are yet to be appointed to other universities. Students have by now returned to the halls of residence in most of the public universities. But the paralysis that has gripped academic, administrative and other activities in the universities is yet to go away. And whilst no classes and examinations are held in the universities in such a situation, administrative activities such as the issuance of certificates by the registrar鈥檚 office are also hampered. Both educationists and educationalists, therefore, believe that it has been imperative for the authorities to resume academic activities in public universities. Any further delay could throw the students into prolonged academic sessions. The students for the time being are busy mobilising relief supplies for the flood-hit east, north-east and south-east. But after the relief supply episode, the authorities will need to get the students back to the institutions and into studies, which might not be easy, especially after a long break. Experts believe that all stakeholders should, therefore, work together to get students back to the classroom in the institutions of tertiary education.
The Secondary and Higher Education Division in an order has, meanwhile, asked the universities grappling with the stalemate to allow at least one senior teacher to carry out administrative and finance-related tasks temporarily and urgently. But such a quick fix cannot work. The government must work out a comprehensive plan for an early execution to put public universities back in order.
