The New Nation - Internet Edition

Mintu Abdur Rahman from Rangpur

Shortage of teachers have been hindering education in Rangpur Carmichael College (RCC). Not only that, the college suffers from insufficient number of books in the library, inadequate number of transports and smaller academic buildings. As a result, the academic activities are stalled in certain cases.

Sources said, there are 161 teachers out of posted 184 for 20,000 honours and masters level students. The number of subjects is 16 and these are Bengali, English, Political Science, Economics, History, Philosophy, Arabic and Islamic Studies, Islamic History and Culture, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Botany, Accounting, Management and Sociology. "We need at least 200 teachers to run the academic activities, 14 for each honours subject and four for others. As the number of teachers is 161, the situation could be easily understood," said the Vice Principal.

Established in 1916, RCC was nationalised in 1963. The number of the students and academic area were gradually expanded. Honours course was later introduced to facilitate the local and the financially weak students to get education. However, more subjects like Computer Science and Engineering, Geography and Statistics need to be introduced.

The college should have at least eight academic buildings and the number of furniture should also be increased. The college authority reportedly sent proposal to the higher authority in this connection.

There are four male hostels and three female hostels capable of accommodating 1900 students. But students twice of it stay in messes, hired buildings, spending more money. The female students are the worst sufferers because they fear to stay in messes and the rented houses. To solve the problems, more hostels, particularly for the female students, are to be built.

A student of the Department of English from Rajarhat upazila in Kurigram district said, "I live in a mess which is costlier. It will be convenient for my parents if I am provided a room in the hostel."