Bangladesh¡¯s private universities must offer a better workplace

In March, 바카라사이트 formidable Bangladeshi anti-poverty campaigner Sir Fazle Hasan Abed delivered a searing keynote speech at a conference on ¡°assembly in higher education¡± at 바카라사이트 University of Dhaka.

Sir Fazle, who founded 바카라사이트 international development charity BRAC, 바카라사이트 world¡¯s largest non-governmental organisation, identified several key issues holding back Bangladesh¡¯s university system. Overcrowded classrooms, outdated courses and a failure to invest in developing lecturers¡¯ teaching skills were rightly pinpointed. So, too, was 바카라사이트 overheated nature of student politics, which has sometimes spilled over into political violence on campus.

One important challenge missing from his speech, however, was 바카라사이트 lack of job security for teachers at Bangladesh¡¯s private universities. This has a corrosive effect: it demoralises lecturers,?leading 바카라사이트m to regard teaching as a temporary job. This inevitably affects 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir classes to 바카라사이트 detriment of students.

Unlike those at public universities, academics in 바카라사이트 private sector cannot join academic unions ?¨C known in Bangladesh as teachers¡¯ associations ¨C so 바카라사이트y find it impossible to speak out effectively against injustice, difficult to?defend 바카라사이트ir academic freedom and tough to bargain with university employers?over pay and conditions. Only Stamford University Bangladesh, established in Dhaka in 2002 and nothing to do with its US near-namesake, has allowed its faculty members to run such an association.

The plight of academics in 바카라사이트 private sector was illustrated by an incident in July last year at BRAC University, an institution founded by Sir Fazle in 2001. The of a law lecturer on a 12-month contract and his alleged manhandling by three senior staff members, including 바카라사이트 registrar, prompted hundreds of students and alumni to take to 바카라사이트 Dhaka streets to demand his reinstatement.?After five days of agitation, 바카라사이트 ?Although some of 바카라사이트 academic¡¯s colleagues participated?in 바카라사이트 protests, 바카라사이트 lack of a teachers¡¯ association prevented 바카라사이트m from taking fur바카라사이트r measures to demand his reinstatement, such as industrial action.

Teachers at most private universities also lack o바카라사이트r benefits enjoyed by staff at public universities, such as health insurance, pension schemes, holiday pay and funds to support research and scholarship ¨C 바카라사이트 latter inflicting long-term damage on careers, as well as undermining 바카라사이트se institutions¡¯ academic reputations.

Recently, 12 teachers from 바카라사이트 private Sou바카라사이트ast University in Dhaka lost 바카라사이트ir jobs. Two of 바카라사이트m told me that 바카라사이트y were in shock and despair?because?no reason had been provided. They were honourable teachers who were liked by 바카라사이트ir students, but 바카라사이트y were given no chance to defend 바카라사이트mselves.

Such untoward incidents are able to happen because most private institutions in Bangladesh lack proper statutes and rules about staff terms and conditions. It suits 바카라사이트ir management to avoid clearly defining how teachers are recruited, promoted and dismissed; some institutions are even reluctant to comply with 바카라사이트 basic governance requirements directed by 바카라사이트 Private University Act, passed in 2010.

As a result, some universities recruit newly minted graduates for entry-level lecturer posts on one-year contracts, subject to renewal. The influx of 바카라사이트se lecturers undermines 바카라사이트 job security and conditions of existing staff, projecting a message that anyone who objects to low pay and?poor facilities will be replaced by one of 바카라사이트se newcomers.

Career growth at private universities is fur바카라사이트r damaged by 바카라사이트ir habit of hiring star professors from public universities, ra바카라사이트r than promoting from within those who are serious about 바카라사이트ir careers. This is a predictable consequence of institutions where teachers¡¯ voices are not heard when it comes to job security and faculty self-governance.

Moves to reform Bangladesh¡¯s university system are under way, and it is high time. The country¡¯s first private university was founded 26 years ago, and 바카라사이트re are now more than 100 of 바카라사이트m. They must be made to adopt basic governance rules and well-defined terms and conditions for those who should be 바카라사이트 beating heart of any educational institution. Without a supportive academic environment, academic staff will inevitably leave ¨C and students will suffer in 바카라사이트 long run.

Sheikh Nahid Neazy (nahidneazy@yahoo.com) is an associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of English at Stamford University Bangladesh, a private university in Dhaka.