The National University (NU) at Gazipur near Dhaka is a state run or public affiliating university. It provides an alternative to a large number of students who aspire for higher education on successful completion of the higher secondary stages but fail to get admitted to the country's many public and private universities. In many cases the problem stems from these universities not having sufficient seats or as in the case of private universities, the costs of tuition and other services are found high.
Over the years, the NU has seen large-scale expansion in the sense of students enrolled under it in the thousands of government run university colleges affiliated to it. NU has about 2,254 affiliated government and private colleges under it. These colleges under its academic control cater to courses leading to Degree Pass, Honors and Master's certificates.
It has taken on the appearance internationally of an extraordinarily big institution of tertiary education. The National University of Bangladesh is now the fifth largest university in the world after its 17-year history from its number of registered students at affiliated colleges and expanding courses.
But more than sheer number, the quality of education provided by higher educational institutions ought to be the criterion for determining their usefulness. It seems the NU is deficient in relation to these vital 'quality' factors. It is specially lagging behind in monitoring the academic activities of its affiliated colleges to ensure quality education.Very few of the college teachers at honors and masters levels have higher training.
Currently NU introduces subjects based on application of its affiliated colleges but hardly follows any priority policy. It results in subjects like Islamic Studies, History, Islamic History, Political Science, Bangla, to acquire epidemic form in courses on offer. But instead of offering such traditional subjects 'grossly' NU should put emphasis on subjects that guarantee employment and relate to development agenda of Bangladesh.
Students, getting enrolled in new subjects of relevance to economy or development, will see direct connection of their study to a promising career. Recently, a clamour is noted to decentralise the NU by handing over the tasks of its affliation related matters to other universities. But instead of easing its conditions, the problems may only be dispersed in that case to other universities.
Therefore, the solution lies in addressing the problems facing the NU on the whole. Some big colleges may be empowered to issue their own certificates to successful candidates, if they fulfill the requisite conditions to offer complete education.
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