The New Nation - Internet Edition

The largely circulated vernacular daily reported the other day that about a half of Dhaka University's 1550 teachers are remaining absent from its academic programmes as they are engaged in jobs in private universities at home or staying abroad on leave of absence.

Their absence is seriously affecting the academic programmes of this highest seat of learning having 32,000 pupils in 51 departments under nine academic faculties. The best students of the country are thus being deprived of the guidance of the teachers that they urgently need to groom up.

What surprises all is the fact that about 20 renowned professors of the premier university of the country are working as Vice Chancellors, Pro-Vice Chancellors or Treasurers of private universities.

According to the report, about 300 teachers of the university are engaged in teaching in private universities, 245 others are staying abroad on leave of absence and 25 others are abroad on unauthorised absence.

It has been revealed that the teachers engage in consultancy and part time or even full time jobs in the private universities on the plea that their salary and remuneration are poor and inadequate to maintain their social status. In so doing, most of them avoid seeking permission of the relevant authorities. It has also been argued that the teachers in Bangladesh are the most poorly paid lot in South Asia.

We support all the way that the DU teachers should get wholesome salary and other benefits. But that does not justify them to neglect their teaching obligation at the university.

Some senior teachers have termed this downright immoral. If teachers cannot uphold morality what the rest of the society would do, they ask.

The Vice Chancellor of the University has been quoted as saying that the teachers are duty-bound to fulfil their obligations. They can engage in different national activities but without disturbing the academic activities of the institution.

Worse even, if the fact that those who are working outside the university even do not pay heed to a university syndicate decision that they should pay ten per cent of their earnings as overhead charges to the university. The syndicate had taken the decision reportedly to discourage the tendency among some teachers to engage in consultancy and part-time teaching. But it has not worked.

Against this backdrop, what the average people, on whose tax-money the university is run, can say? Those teachers who prefer paying no heed to university rules, regulations and moral values, and run only after money on the plea of their not having a respectable salary structure at Dhaka University should better resign. They can ask for higher salary but cannot neglect their obligation to the students and the nation. Moreover, such teachers are not good examples of honesty and dedication for the students. The sooner they leave better it will be for maintaining academic atmosphere on the campus. It is no wonder that students have started complaining against the teachers..