Devendra College students stand outside classes for space shortage

19 August 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Manikganj

Failing to enter the already crowded classrooms, students of Devendra College roam about on the corridor yesterday.Photo: STAR

Study of about 10 thousands students of Devendra College in Manikganj is being hampered due to various problems including acute shortage of teachers and classrooms. Students of the government university college yesterday formed a human chain in front of the college demanding construction of a new academic building, appointment of sufficient teachers, adequate accommodation for resident students and teachers, college canteen and transport facilities. For want of accommodation, a large numbers of students have to stand outside the classrooms during instruction by teachers, students said. As only 25 classrooms of the college are too inadequate, honours and master's classes remain suspended for three months every year during the intermediate and degree examinations, they said. The existing classrooms need urgent repair while at least 35 more classrooms are required, college sources said. There are only 78 teachers in the university college against the requirement of 181 teachers, said college Principal Abu Bakar Siddik. As English department is run with only four teachers, the college authorities often hire English teachers from other private colleges to conduct classes. Of the three dormitories of the college, the one for females can accommodate only 150 students. Monjurul Alam Hall, made of corrugated iron sheets, is the only working dormitory for male students while dilapidated Alimul Haque Hall has become unusable. There is no dormitory for the teachers, said a few lecturers of the college. “Three thousand students qualified for honours course this year, but only 1500 of them were admitted as there is shortage of classrooms and accommodation problem,” said Prof Urmila Roy, chairperson of Bangla Department. “I wrote to the Ministry of Education several times to solve manifold problems of the college but no positive initiative is yet in sight. There are enough land on the college compound for constructing an academic building,” said the principal. The students have sought intervention of the prime minister and the education minister to solve the problems of the college. Philanthropist Ranada Prasad Saha founded the college on 24 acres of land in Manikganj town in 1942 with intermediate and degree classes. Now the college runs honours courses in 15 subjects and master's courses in eight subjects in addition to degree and intermediate courses.