The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

To build a conscientious society we should establish a 'knowledge-network' across the country with the help of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to lessen students reliance on private tuition speakers opined in a roundtable discussion yesterday.

Due to corruption in the education sector, Dr Akbar Ali Khan, Chairman of Regulatory Reforms Commission (RRC), said, "Our educational system now hovers between light and darkness." Emphasising on morality of teachers for ensuring quality education in the country he said, "The main objective of the teachers is to provide knowledge, not to make money."

The RRC chairman pointed out that the business houses should not be given the responsibility of managing educational institutions.

He proposed the authorities concerned to introduce rating system for evaluating the performance of the public and private universities in the country. "After every six months, the rating of the universities can be published," he said.

Grameen Nagarik Federation and the SNN Media jointly organised the roundtable titled 'Corruption in education, Problems in Higher Education and its Importance in National Development' at the National Press Club.

Vice Chancellor of Southeast University Prof Dr Shamsher Ali, political scientist Syed Rashed Ahmed Chowdhury, Prof Dr Sakhawat Ali Khan and Prof Zaheda Ahmed of Dhaka University, educationist Shaheda Obayed, Prof. Quazi Md Akhtaruzzaman of Jagannath University and journalist Habibur Rahman Milon took part as discussants at the roundtable. Poet Mostafa Allama chaired the event.

Dr Shamsher Ali stressed the need for reorientation of primary and secondary levels of education for producing brilliant students, especially for tertiary education.

He suggested the authorities concerned to stop the "business with education"

He opined through proper coordination between the private and public universities' education system we could ensure quality education.

Recommending the government to formulate a teacher recruitment commission to ensure the appointment of good teachers in the educational institutions he said, "The commission after examining all aspects, will send its recommendations in a book form to all institutions,"

Mentioning that corruption in education sector is an open secret, Prof Sakhawat Ali Khan said that in the field of higher education, there is lack of coordination between the public and private universities.

He said it is imperative to give utmost emphasis from the very beginning of education for producing good students for the development of the country.

Syed Rashed Ahmed Chowdhury put emphasis on English language learning

and teaching the pupil about the tolerance that humanism teaches. "For occupying better position, our students will have to be adept at least in one foreign language," he said.