Utility of research results come with their fair share of salt. In the new age of outsourcing companies through international organizations, governments increasingly depend on research to inform decisions. The multitude has seen the growth of research companies that are usually widely quoted in support of a theory that, in turn, leads to informed decision making.
As with any initiative such results can prove to be embarrassingly wrong as many business corporations have found out. In most cases it's the methodology and application that is at fault, not to mention fiddling with figures to produce “we told you” expectations. Truly followed-through research provides realistic predictions of trends. Those that are faithful to the ethics, are the ones more revered.
The British Academy has announced several research grants for meaningful probes into pandemic lessons from the social sciences sector, a fresh concept to try and work out the impact and preparations for the future to bolster expected, immediate response from governments in terms of direct intervention on health and containment.
The academy and others have often been called on to provide insights into other sectoral economic issues. Not as well highlighted are institutions in other countries. The United States has the comfort of towering universities that run, as a matter of normal activity research in different sections of society. These countries have the benefit of access to both field-level and local governments to communicate with and find common threads.
It's a different story in the third-world.
University level research is at such a state that they are hardly mentioned in policy decisions, though the opposite should be true. In the last decade, mostly on technical issues, university faculties have been consulted and given seats at committees. The institutions have rarely commissioned or made public studies on how long-term government policies can be mixed and matched with ground realities and even technical realities.
Too often we learn from the media a project design was wrong half-way or even after completion. The Moghbazar flyover is one example. The Purbachal multi-lane road is to be dug up after inauguration because it clashes with the metro-rail project.
That's public exchequer money down the drain, so to say.
Public and private universities bemoan intakes to their sessions as candidates flunk admission tests. Instead of going back to the core issue of primary and secondary education curricula, we had one minister suggesting admission test questions be made easier. Following a drop in pass-percentage at HSC level this year, the education board was glib enough to state that last year's exam was on a truncated syllabus and hence percentages were higher.
As for the universities, in all of their opportunities with the country's president and chancellor in attendance, there was no list of recommendations on how to resolve the issue.
From urban and rural planning through education, vocational and otherwise, there is a plethora of issues on which relevant research can and should be undertaken by teachers. Teaching is their first priority, but research must follow close behind. And it's not as if the talent isn't available. Many international organizations hire them on contracts to undertake research that they include in their reports and find a way to the governments.
As one frustrated teacher said recently, “there are administrators everywhere, no teachers and no researchers.”
Mahmudur Rahman is a writer, columnist, broadcaster, and communications specialist.