Even though more than a year has passed since the formulation of related regulations, Viqarunnisa Noon School and College and Motijheel Ideal School and College are still operating multiple campuses under the main campus.
Critics say these prominent institutions are operating the branches under the main campuses to embezzle money from student admissions and other sectors. Also, the branches are kept under the control of the main campus without forming a separate governing body, to ensure that the governing body of the main campus gets special privileges.
On November 30, 2022, the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education formulated the Establishment, Study, and Academic Recognition of the Private Educational Institutions Policy-2022. Section 10 of the policy states that no educational institution can open a branch anywhere other than its approved main campus. If any educational institution has an authorized campus or branch, each branch shall adopt a separate Educational Institute Identification Number (EIIN). Moreover, each branch shall specify its location, separate manpower structure, and management committee.
Viqarunnisa’s operation of three branches in Dhanmondi, Bashundhara, and Azimpur, defying the rules, came to the fore after incidents of corruption related to admissions and sexual harassment by a teacher of the Aazimpur branch were reported recently. A separate governing body has not been constituted for the branch campuses.
The school was established in 1952, and the first branch was established in Dhanmondi in 1995. Later, the managing committee launched another branch in Bashundhara Residential Area in 2004 and in Azimpur in 2006.
Similarly, when the report of recruitment corruption, love affairs, and the marriage of a governing body member with a student came to light, the irregularities in Ideal School and College were also revealed. This institution has also kept the three branches under the control of the main campus and has not formed a separate governing body.
The institution started its journey as a primary school in 1965, on the initiative of the residents of Motijheel AGB Colony. It became a junior school in 1968, and after independence, it was upgraded to a full-fledged high school in 1972. As the number of students grew, the school authorities launched the English Version branch beside the main campus and then two more branches in Banasree and Mugda.
Hence, it appears that these two institutions did not separate the branch campuses from the main campus to continue their corruption. Parents of these two institutions allege that a 13-member committee on the main campus controls everything. If separate committees are formed for each campus, the income of 13 people will be divided among 39 people. The members of the governing body are often involved in corruption in the transfer of teachers and students to the branch campuses and the appointment of branch heads.
This is why the governing bodies do not want to follow the policy. Apart from these two institutions, the main campuses of some other institutions in the capital have branch campuses that do not have separate governing bodies.
Tapan Kumar Sarkar, chairman of the Dhaka Education Board and president of the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee, said: “There will be a new policy related to the educational institution management committee in a short period of time. The policy will create an opportunity to take action against the management committee of the educational institutions. If any governing body or managing committee does not follow the new policy, action will be taken against them.”
Incidentally, according to the existing policy, the board can dissolve the committee if an institution commits irregularities. Apart from this, there is no power to take any other action. Because of this limitation, a new policy is being formulated.
According to the policy, if the educational institution does not comply with it, the Education Board can cancel the approvals for academic activities and academic recognition. But no action has been taken since the formulation of the policy.
Asked why a separate governing body was not formed in the branches, Viqarunnisa acting principal Keka Roy Chowdhury said: “I have joined as the principal recently. I did not get any such instructions after joining. I knew that a policy would be introduced soon. We will take steps as per the instructions mentioned in the policy.”
The acting principal of Motijheel Ideal School and College, Emam Hossain, said: "The matter came to light recently. If a government order is issued, we will take action accordingly.”
