Rajshahi University faces acute shortage of teachers

Rajshahi University (RU) has been suffering acute shortage of teachers.

Sources said though some new departments started journey a few years ago, the number of teachers did not changed. Some six new departments those were opened during the last three years are running by some part-time teachers.

Authorities of the respective department are struggling to run the educational programme due to shortage of teacher.

Despite these problems, the university authority has proposed to open nine more departments.

According to the administrative sources, the six departments were opened in the academic sessions of 2014-2015 and 2015-2016.

The Banking and Insurance Department under the Business Studies Faculty and International Relations under the Arts Faculty started their journey in the 2014-2015 session. There are only seven teachers for the two departments whereas the numbers of students are 382.

In the academic session 2015-2016, Law and Land Administration Department under Law Faculty, Clinical Psychology Department under Life and Earth Faculty, Physical Education and Sports Science Department under the Science Faculty and Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) Department under the Engineering Faculty were opened. A total of 12 teachers in the four department.

After the review these information it has been seen that there are 20 batches for 802 students and teachers are 18 at six new departments.

So, a teacher is for every 44 students.

Shahriar Hasan, a final year student of International Relations, said, there are currently two teachers for teaching the students of four batches in the department. That's why the class of final year batch is not getting started yet.

Md Tarun Hasan, lecturer of Clinical Psychology dept said, about 15 teachers are required for this department, but the teaching activities is running with only three permanent and six others temporary teachers. At present, there are two classrooms to take classes-examinations of three batches students. So, it's going to be tough to run academic operations with the twice room.

However, 21st senate session of the university recently has proposed to open nine more departments. These are Microbiology, Horticulture, Nutrition and Food Science, Business and Trade Law, International Law, People Law and Society, Civil Engineering, Soil Science and Tourism and Hospitality Management departments. But the UGC has approved the opening of Business and Trade Law.

RU Pro-VC Prof Ananda Kumar Saha said, "Our administration has tried to solve all the problems."

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