The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Sunday wrote to the vice-chancellors (VCs) of 45 public universities asking the latter to prepare lists of students who needs assistance to buy smartphones to attend online classes amid the coronavirus crisis.
In three separate letters, sent to the VCs of 45 public universities, the regulatory body also directed the VCs to ensure proper implementation of the rules and regulations and use of funds meant for research.
The VCs were told to send the list of the students, who could not afford to buy a smartphone, through email (director_publicuniv@ugc.gov.bd) by August 25.
VCs confirmed the receipt of the letters to the Bangladesh Post.
“We have received the letters (including that one asks for the list) today (Sunday),” said Dr Shireen Akhter, VC of Chittagong University.
“We will hold meeting on the matter and prepare a list after collecting necessary information,” he added.
Chittagong University Teachers Association (CUTA) President Professor Emdadul Haque termed the UGC’s initiative “praiseworthy and timely.”
“But what the criteria will be since it is difficult to select a student whether someone owns a smartphone or a feature phone. Many may use smartphones but can claim to have none,” Haque told Bangladesh Post.
Earlier on June 25, the regulatory body held a Zoom meeting with the VCs on how to start online education in public universities during the virus crisis, said Dr Shamsul Arefin, director (public relations and information) of UGC.
“The UGC then sent a letter to the education ministry to provide free data to the students with high speed internet and availing smartphones under soft loan or grants so that students continue educational activities online,” he added.
In another letter, the UGC said it has observed that the teachers, officials of several public universities work at different government and non-government bodies while some too run private businesses deifying the rules and regulations.
According to the employment rules, no teacher or staffer of any public university can directly or indirectly involve in any other government or non-government bodies or run any business or profitable organization without the approval of the authority concerned.
It is the duty of teachers, officials and employees working at a public university to abide by the rules of his or her university, read the letter.
Terming such activities a clear violation of the job rules, the UGC instructed the VCs to ensure the proper implementation of the rule and regulations of their respective universities.
The other letter urged the VCs to ensure the proper use of fund meant for research and publications in public universities.
It said the government allocates fund to the management and development of public universities every year as per demands.
With the allocations, authorities at the university concerned call for research projects and then grant fund to the approved projects following a series of examinations.
But the UGC has noticed that several universities spend research funds for other purposes violating the rules.
The VCs were asked to ensure that all funds meant for research be spent properly and goes to the approved projects, the letter added.
