Cabinet okays univ accreditation council law in principle

Four years after taking the initiative, the government yesterday approved in principle the draft of "The Accreditation Council Law, 2016" with a view to ensuring standards of higher education in the country.

The council will give public and private universities "accreditation and confidence certificates" after scrutinising their curricula.

No university will be able to grant degrees without the council's approval, and an institution may lose accreditation if it misinforms or conceals information from the council, said sources in the education ministry.

The law will subject private and public universities to certain standards, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told a press briefing, after emerging from a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

In April 2012, the education ministry approved the primary draft, sought opinions of ministries, universities, and departments concerned, and put it on its website seeking public opinion.

According to the draft, the council will have 11 members including a chairman, one full-time member from the University Grants Commission (UGC), four professors, an additional secretary of the education ministry, and one representative from the Association of Universities of Bangladesh.

Besides, one representative each from professionals, quality assurance and accreditation experts, and the country's apex trade body FBCCI will also be on the council.

The chairman and members will be appointed by the government, said the cabinet secretary.

Currently, 38 public and 92 private universities are operating in the country.