Dedicated media outlets needed

Separate television and radio channels, online sites and newspapers should be introduced that will only broadcast and publish reports on the education sector, said speakers yesterday.

They should also carry features, debates, analyses and documentaries on the sector, said the speakers.

They were addressing a seminar on "Role of the Media in promoting Higher Education" organised by Eastern University at its campus in Dhanmondi yesterday.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, the chief guest of the programme, said higher education institutes should not be just certificate-giving bodies.

He also highlighted the role private universities can play in students' education as the universities outnumber the public ones.    

"There are 38 public universities and 80 private universities," he said, adding that they cannot increase the number of public universities due to limited resources.

"Education and media are not business products but services," said Mustafiz Sofi, executive director of The Daily Samakal.

He added that media should not shy away from publishing negative news about private universities in fear of losing advertisements.

Rahul Raha, current affairs editor of Channel 24, presented the keynote speech at the seminar, which was attend by, among others, Abul Khair Chowdhury, chairman of board of trustees of the university, and Prof Abdur Rab, vice chancellor of the university.