The Dhaka University Teachers鈥� Community, a non-partisan teachers鈥� platform, on Monday proposed the decentralisation of administrative power in universities to free the institutions from bureaucratic practices and procedural delays.
The teachers presented the proposal at an event titled Dhaka University Education System Reformation held at the Professor Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury Auditorium of the university.
To ensure accountability in the power structure, the organisation has outlined election frameworks for various governing bodies and key positions such as vice-chancellor, pro-vice-chancellor, senate and syndicate members, deans, provosts, and proctors.
In two segments titled Education Ideas Our Proposals, and Reorganising the Administration and Power Structure, the teachers鈥� community suggested several reforms for the University.
Their proposals include changes to the admission process, focusing on analytical skills and intelligence-based entrance exams, maintaining a student-teacher ratio of at least 40:1, capping admissions in departments less aligned with market demand at 40 students, providing a minimum monthly stipend of Tk 50,000 for PhD students, and facilitating part-time employment and loans for students and others.
Additionally, they proposed a two-step recruitment process for teachers, initially shortlisting candidates based on higher degrees, followed by interviews involving student engagement and formal questioning by the recruitment board.
The proposal also called for decentralising the university鈥檚 facilities and population, and adopting a preliminary proposal to start classes in the last week of September, which will be finalised in the next syndicate meeting.
Speaking at the event, Dhaka University vice-chancellor Niaz Ahmed Khan stated, 鈥楾he university is, at its core, a social institution, and everyone has equal rights here. The university will operate according to how people want it to be.鈥�
Professor Selim Raihan from the department of economics said that the stakes in university reforms were not limited to only teachers; students鈥� interests were also just as significant.聽 鈥楻eforming the university is tied to reforming the state. Without state reform, there is always a risk of regression,鈥� he said.
Umama Fatema, a coordinator of the Students鈥� Movement Against Discrimination, said, 鈥楧haka University possesses everything it needs to become a leading institution. Due to political influences, however, it has gradually become a certificate-providing body in recent years.鈥�
The written proposal was presented by Shahman Moishan, a theatre and performance studies department teacher, mass communication and journalism department teacher Khorshed Alam, Japanese studies department teacher Abdullah Al Mamun, and anthropology professor Zobaida Nasreen, which was moderated by Professor Robaet Ferdous.
Dhaka University Treasurer Professor M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and a coordinator of the student movement, Abdul Kader also spoke at the event.