The Finance Division had recently reduced the electricity bill allocation for technical education institutions across the country.
The Technical and Madrasah Education Division is concerned that the decision could disrupt educational programmes based on practical classes, which in turn could reduce the quality of such education, and trigger a negative trend.
It should be noted that through a circular in 2023, the finance ministry had reduced the electricity bill allocation for technical institutions by 25 per cent.
The Technical and Madrasah Education Division has recently written to the Finance Ministry to reconsider its decision not to reduce the allocation.
The letter, of which The Business Post has obtained a copy, stated that the reduction in allocation has led to complications in the expenditure of this division.
Practical classes are more important than academic activities in such institutions. Moreover, the price of electricity has also increased. In this situation, the 25 per cent reduction in electricity bill is creating more problems, it read.
In FY24, Tk 12,60,87,000 has been allocated for the electricity bill of Technical and Madrasah Education Division’s institutions.
Of the figure, Tk 11 crore has been allocated for polytechnic institutes, Tk 28 lakh for Barishal College of Engineering, Tk 35 lakh for Faridpur College of Engineering, Tk 18 lakh for Mymensingh College of Engineering, Tk 23 lakh for Sylhet College of Engineering, Tk 1.87 lakh allocated for Director of Vocational Technical Education and Tk 55 lakh for head office of Directorate of Technical Education.
Commenting on this issue, Acting Principal of Sylhet Engineering College Abdur Rauf said, “Our students have to do more practical classes than academic education. Therefore, if 25 per cent less allocation is provided for electricity bill, the education programme will be disrupted.
“This is not desirable under any circumstances.”
He added, “Therefore, it is necessary to reconsider the decision of 25 per cent reduction in order to keep the academic activities of our students in motion. I am optimistic that the government will reconsider its decision.”
Echoing the same, Mymensingh Engineering College Principal (Acting) Professor Md Alamgir Hossain said, “The government should reconsider this decision in the interest of education and the students, because the government has given special attention to technical education.
“We conduct technology-based classes. The institute has modern labs and classrooms with multimedia projectors for teaching. So, the consumption of electricity has increased compared to before. In this situation, the 25 per cent reduction in the power bill is undesirable.”
