Dhaka: President Abdul Hamid on Tuesday slammed Bangladesh's private universities for their failure to ensure the quality of education as it has now become a tool of making money.

"Infrastructure, road communications, power, gas, ICT and industrialisation can accelerate the development process. But, there’s no alternative to education for ensuring sustainable development," he said.

The President said this while addressing the first convocation of the National University at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital, reports news agency United News of Bangladesh.

“Alongside public universities, many private universities are built in the country for providing higher education. But, many students cannot afford to study in these universities. There’re also questions about the facilities and standards of education in some of the private universities," he said.

Business gets priority in these private universities rather than education, said Abdul Hamid adding that students are also forced to go to private tutors or coaching centres.

He said most of the country’s public university teachers spend more time on consultancy or in private universities than in their respective universities. “As a result, public university students are being deprived of quality education…research activities are also being hampered.”

Abdul Hamid said the mentality of these teachers must be changed as this is their responsibility to prepare their students as worthy human resources with quality education.

Highlighting the activities of the National University, he said many colleges are conducting honours and master’s degree courses across the country under the National University, but most of those colleges have no adequate teachers and infrastructures for providing quality education.

Besides, the President said, activities in providing quality education are also being hampered in these colleges for lack of trained teachers. “So, the National University authorities must be alert in this regard.”

About the country's overall education, he said the present government is working sincerely to take the education sector forward, enlighten the country with the light of education and make people as skilled manpower.

"The rate of educated people has increased in the country. Infrastructural facilities have been expanded …now it’s time to ensure quality education."  

Abdul Hamid called upon the National University authorities to modernise its curricula so that students can build themselves as skilled human resources apart from getting university degrees.

Congratulating the new graduates of the university, he urged them to apply the knowledge they have grained for the welfare of their families, society and the country.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, University Grants Commission Chairman Prof Abdul Mannan and Vice-chancellor of the National University Prof Dr Harun-or-Rashid, among others, spoke on the occasion.