Colleges on student hunt

According to Board sources, only two out of 119 colleges in four districts in Sylhet division could enroll the requisite number of students. These are Government MC College and Sylhet Government Women's College in Sylhet city.

There are 50 colleges in the four districts where the number of first year students will not exceed 50 each.

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There are also colleges with one or two students. M Saifur Rahman College at Moulvibazar and Baranchal High School and College at Kulaura have only one and two students respectively, they said.

A government college has 300 seats in each group, making a total of 900.

The seat capacity in a non-government intermediate college is around 150.

Authorities of most of the colleges are now worried how to run the institutions and pay teachers and staff.

On the other hand, there is pressure from the ministry to enroll the requisite number of students as per law.

Prof Noni Gopal Roy, principal of Moulvibazar Government College, said the situation is difficult but hoped it would be alright in two years.

He said pass percentage in SSC (Secondary School Certificate) was poor last year as cheating was strictly controlled. This should be continued to improve the standard secondary education, he said.

Md Quresh Khan, principal of Rajnagar Degree College, also expressed similar opinion.

There is nothing to be disappointment over the situation as quality of education is improving, they said.

Of the colleges, 50 are in Sylhet, 19 in Habiganj, 25 in Sunamgonj and 21 in Moulvibazar district.