Chapter

One

Total Quality Management on Higher Education in Bangladesh

Introduction
Education is foremost basic human need among the fives. Any country can reach the peak of
development if they can educate the people of their country. In the global knowledge economy,
higher education has a crucial role in nurturing human capital. Higher education has enormous
potential to promote prosperity in the developing nations. (Mobasser and Muhammed, 2010).It
ensures economic growth, leads social transformation, and finds solutions to national
development challenges. Higher education endorses social mobility and a high standard of living
(Chaudhary, et al. 2009). The strengthening of higher education is required for enhancing the
overall development of Bangladesh. The cost of higher education in a developing country like
Bangladesh is cheaper compared to developed nations (Bhuiyan and Hakim, 1995). But quality
is more important than cost. It must focus on providing access to high-quality education services.
The key challenges of the higher education system are training the young generation for the
emerging new economy, and improving access and quality of outputs. Adequate budgetary
provision and proper utilization of the same are essential to ensure the excellence in higher
education.
Total Quality Management means to continuously strive to fulfill or exceed the needs and
expectations of external and internal in all processes in which everyone is committed to their
continuous improvement. TQM brings together the best aspects of organizational excellence by
driving out fear, offering customer- driven services, doing it right the first time by eliminating
error, and maintaining inventory control without waste. TQM was only articulated as a means of
achieving a target, which has been set at strategic level.
Establishing leadership in the world is possible only when we have a developed system of higher
education in which efficiency remains the sole criterion to evaluate performance. The system of
higher education is found efficacious in making available to the society a dedicated, committed,
devoted and professionally sound team of human resources to decide the future of any nation.

Objective of the study

Total Quality Management on Higher Education in Bangladesh

The major objective of this study is to know the quality of higher education in Bangladesh. The
study has also some other specific objectives like

To identify the challenge of quality higher education in Bangladesh;

To observe the present structure of higher education in Bangladesh;
The quality and social relevance of higher education imparted in developing nations

remain quite low and deteriorating due to lack of fund

Total Quality Management (TQM) should be unavoidably common factor that will shape

the strategies of higher educational institutions in a same manner

The development of higher education is correlated with the economic development.
To estimate the government contribution for higher education of Bangladesh.

Methodology
This study is both qualitative and quantitative in nature. This broad perspective of this study is to
draw a comprehensive scenario on The Status, Issues and Prospects of Quality Higher Education
in Bangladesh.
Methodology is the process, technique, or method of observation, survey and analysis. In order
to collect the above mentioned information and data following potential sources has been used.
In order to meet the data requirement and collect the above mentioned information following
sources has been used:
Primary: The primary information collected through face to face interview, observation, and by
participation in the calculation of Total Quality Management on Higher Education in
Bangladesh.
Secondary: Secondary data is collected from their web site, different project report and
presentation, books and articles from library study.

Significance of the Study

Total Quality Management on Higher Education in Bangladesh

Learning is the aspect of development that expose modification of behavior, skills and
knowledge that result from practice and experience which sought for quality of education in
Bangladesh.
I would also like to thank my friends who were always there for patiently listening to my
research work, having pleasant discussions, and for being a source of encouragement for the
project work.
Finally, I would like to thank my parents who made it all possible.

Summary of the Study

Higher education plays the vital role to ensure the prosperity in the developing countries like
Bangladesh. But quality higher education is a challenge for Bangladesh. This study addressed the
challenges of quality higher education in terms of status, issues and prospects in the contest of
globalization. For this purpose this paper considered education fee, choice of the students and
guardians, session jam, popularity, teaching aids, library facilities, availability of books and
journals, research facilities, and laboratory facilities as main factors to identify quality higher
education.

Total Quality Management on Higher Education in Bangladesh

Chapter
Two

Total Quality Management on Higher Education in Bangladesh

Introduction
Since independence of Bangladesh in 1971 the number of institutions, enrolments and teachers
have grown to all levels including higher education, but it is generally and remained seriously
deficient especially so in institutions in which children of disadvantaged households go in large
numbers. The education system has failed to make the grade in respect of access with quality and
equity.
The University Grants Commission (UGC), set up in 1973, serves as an intermediary between
the government and universities in respect of financial allocation. The UGC also approves and
monitors academic programmes of all universities including the private ones. However, the past
experience shows that the UGC has very little control over the universities.
The system of higher education Bangladesh inherited was an integral part of colonial set up,
having little relevance to the objectives of higher education needed for the new sovereign nation.
It was not only quantitatively small but was also qualitatively anemic and dysfunctional in terms
of producing man power capable of giving leadership in building a self reliant country. It was
desired that the post independent government would make necessary reforms to meet the
expectations of the country. Instead, the governments emphasized quantitative expansion with no
regard to quality. The problems have been compounded by the existence of three almost
completely separate systems of higher education centered around the universities, the degree
colleges and degree level madrashas.
Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh. In the period of globalization, when
intellectual capital is more and more valued both by individuals and nations then higher
education has become significantly important. From the perspective of quality assurance and
quality improvement there are a large number of reports and theoretical works discussed the need
for educational institutions. According to education there is a long run relationship between
economic growth and higher. Analyzed some issues to foster higher education in Bangladesh,
namely, teaching quality, method, content, peer quality, direct facilities, indirect facilities and
political climate.

Total Quality Management on Higher Education in Bangladesh

Structure of Higher Education in Bangladesh

Theoretical Approaches to Quality and TQM in Higher Education

The need to establish and measure performance standards in higher education is widely
recognized (THES, 2002; Wright, 1996). Higher education in the UK has undergone enormous
growth and changes in recent years and quality and accountability are very much a driving force
in todays academic world (MacBryde, 1998). Britain now has an extensive, diverse, dynamic
and innovative higher education system. Whilst these changes have certainly posed challenges
for quality assurance, standards and measures of institutional performance, there is no evidence
that they have led to any significant deterioration in the quality of programmes and courses
offered either in the UK and abroad (Boaden and Cilliers, 2001; MacBryde, 1998; THES, 2002;
QAA, 1998). Quality systems generate a quality culture and this is what is at the heart of
successful quality organizations (Hart and Shoolbred, 1993). The UK remains a high quality
provider of higher education in all its many modern forms. The Education Reform Act created
Total Quality Management on Higher Education in Bangladesh

the framework and the context within which the pursuit of quality has begun to flourish.
Public sector organizations are also interested in quality, as a way of making the best possible use
of finite resources (Garbutt, 1996). Many commentators (e.g. Bauer, 1992; Horine et al., 1993;
Williams, 1990) in the higher education field have recognized that the quality concept is applied
to higher education. Within this context, Pounder (1999: 156) noted:
A major development in higher education worldwide over the past two decades has been the
preoccupation with institutional performance evaluation.
Higher education consumes a substantial share of national resources. Those who make that
investment, whether government on behalf of the taxpayer or individuals paying their own fees,
are entitled to expect value for money and a worthwhile opportunity. Improvements in efficiency
and effectiveness do not necessarily imply improvements in quality (HEQC, 1994; para 53). It is
appropriate therefore to begin a description of institutions internal quality assurance processes
with the responsibilities of individual academic staff. In the UK individual members of faculty
are accountable to:

their students;
their subjects or disciplines;
their vocations (teaching, research, administration);
their colleagues;
their professional bodies; their institutions

These professional accountabilities are accompanied and reinforced by a number of formal

institutional mechanisms, which aim to accomplish the effective discharge of these
accountabilities by:

Identifying essential building blocks or attributes for TQM oriented teaching.

Establishing for educators and educational administrators what TQM can do for them by
analyzing data obtained as student feedback on course evaluations and on an educational

questionnaire administered to students.

Establishing parallels between TQM as it applies to business on the one hand and to

teaching on the other.

Monitoring and feedback processes which ensure that opportunities are taken to improve
the quality of what is offered.

Total Quality Management on Higher Education in Bangladesh

Staff selection and development, which ensures that only suitably, qualified and trained
staff teaches students or conduct research or administration;

There are two other external stakeholders with interest in higher education, these being students
and their families, and prospective employers in industry, commerce and the professions. These
stakeholders interests are protected as part of these processes of course assessment and
institution audit. Van der Wiele and Brown (2000) conclude that:
the quality management philosophy continuous to be a central focus of the business and
mechanism for contributing to better performances

Experiences of Quality and TQM in Higher Education Institutions

In the higher education sector Quality and TQM has been adopted in many parts of the world
including U.S., UK, and Australia. Many universities began implementing Total Quality
strategies under an administrative leadership and shied away from classroom and curriculum
issues (Brigham, 1993). As Hansen (1993) described TQI approach to an individual course and
review its key elements, namely, customer focus, student involvement, and continuous
improvement. This is followed by each of these elements was operationalised: customer focus,
through an emphasis on proficiencies in using customer knowledge; student involvement,
through team-oriented research projects; and continuous improvement, through ongoing course
and instructor evaluations.
The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is in a very competitive area for school of business.
TQM represents a fundamental change in the way it managed. The RIT committed to an 11-steps
program identified by colleges of Business and Engineering to integrate TQM into curriculum,
including a process for assessment and advisement. Faculty needed to be converted to TQM.
This was approached in three ways:
Informational: Reading materials were made available.

Total Quality Management on Higher Education in Bangladesh

 Training: All faculty and particularly all staff went through a four day training seminar
presented by Xerox Corporation.
Experience: Representatives from industry are regular visitors to campus. The key question
they answer is what do you expect of graduates?
Texas Southern University (TSU) introduced TQM activity, which is known as TIGER SPIRIT
2000 Programme, is to establish four (4) management training activities that are designed to
improve the leadership and practical critical skills of new and middle managers who are
responsible for fostering the development experience of TSU employees. This component of the
TIGER SPIRIT 2000 programme is based on the following long-term primary goals:
Improve productivity, effectiveness and efficiency of university service by department and
better utilization of talents, abilities and potential of employees.
Help employees to develop their knowledge, skills and abilities so that they might become
better qualified to perform the duties of their present jobs and advance to more responsible
positions.
Provide for the development of managers capable of organizing and developing effective
management systems for the accomplishment of each divisions goals and objectives.
Prepare employees to deal more effectively with the growing customer service demands faced
by organizations worldwide.

Research Methodology
The research objective of the article and the relative paucity of previous empirical research
suggest that a partly exploratory and a partly descriptive research design is best suited to the
project. A useful way of packaging such a study is through the adoption of case study approach.
Case study is the fact of any particular issues, the contents of which require an in-depth focus
of the social sciences area to understand its phenomenon on the basis of it being an individual
problem (Leedy, 1997). One of the essential characteristics of using the case study approach is
that it focuses on one instance of the thing that is to be investigated (Denscombe, 1998). The
Total Quality Management on Higher Education in Bangladesh

10

advantage of the case study over other methods is that it attempts to be comprehensive, and
involves the researcher in describing and analyzing the full notes, one of the advantage cited for
case study research is its uniqueness, its capacity for understanding complexity in particular
contexts. Apart from generalization, other criticisms can be that the case study method is a less
rigorous form of inquiry, based on the accumulation of information and there is a lack of
discipline in what Smith (1991) described as the logically weakest method of knowing. Mitchell
(1999) states that the basic problem in the use of case material in theoretical analysis.

Growth of Higher Education in Bangladesh

In the cultural context of Bangladesh education has always been placed in a position of high
esteem. But till the advent of British rule (Before 1757) education was taken primarily as a
source of social prestige. During British rule (1757-1947), a system of education was designed to
produce an elite class from within the local people so as to serve the economic and political
interest of the rulers. Educational institutions were set up in selected urban centers and English
was the medium of instruction. During the first hundred years of British rule, very little was done
for the growth of higher education. In 1857, three universities were established, one each in
Calcutta, Madras (Chennai) and Bombay (Mombai) as replicates of London University. The
other universities established were: Punjab in 1982; Allahabad in 1987, and few more were set
up after 1910 Dhaka university was established in 1921. Although the universities in UK were
autonomous, for Indian Universities autonomy was considered dangerous from political
considerations. During Pakistan period (1947-71) five new universities: Rajshahi (1953),
Bangladesh Agricultural University (1961), Bangladesh University of Engineering and
Technology (1962), Chittagong university 1965 and Jahangirnagar University (1970) were
established. Presently there are 82 (31 public and 51 private) universities.
The faculty in Universities and Colleges
Quality Teachers are undoubtedly the most important input for quality education. Public
Universities have been able to maintain a strong faculty composition. In Public Universities the
percentage of teachers with Ph. D. was 41.9 in 1997, 38.7 in 2001 and 36.4 in 2004 and 3.2 in
2010. This trend is not desirable. The situation is alarming in colleges offering higher education.
Total Quality Management on Higher Education in Bangladesh

11

Only 6.4 percent degree college teachers have first division while 6.9 percent teachers have third
division in the masters examination Poor salary, lack of training and research facility are
attributed for poor faculty.
Pressure for Expansion
Enrollment in tertiary education has been rapidly increasing of Higher growth is largely the
outcome of the interplay of the following factors:
a) demand for educated manpower to meet the development needs;
b) vertical push from below exerted by rapid expansion of primary and secondary sub sectors;
c) higher rate of return for investment in higher education over higher secondary education;
d) graduates and masters degree graduates have better employment prospects compared to
graduates with SSC and HSC graduates.

University Grants Commission (UGC)

The UGC, following the recommendation of the National Education Policy 1969, was
established in 1973, as the apex body of the universities in Bangladesh. It was also expected to
play the role of specialized coordinating body between universities and liaise with the Ministry
of Education. In consistence with the policy framework of the Government, the UGC is expected
to deal promotion and development of higher education and conduct in-depth research in the
critical areas of education. It is almost 33 years since establishment UGC could move very little
to mobilize resources as well as carry out researchers for the overall development of higher
education. The WB report (WB 2000) noted that UGC was set up with relatively weak powers
for coordination, planning and resource allocation. UGC does not have the power to make
substantive changes in universities. My own experience is that the UGC has no control over the
universities and that its only work is to recommend allocation of funds to the government.
Moreover, it has no manpower, nor has the resources to hire experts to work for improving
quality of education. According to Professor Zillur Rahman Siddiqui (Siddiqui 1999):
The UGC is functioning much below its optimum scope and efficiency. For years now it has
been manned by senior academics who are either wanting in leadership or otherwise they are
Total Quality Management on Higher Education in Bangladesh

12

there as a result of political patronage. Under such weak leadership it has failed to demonstrate
the kind of initiatives needed in the improvement of higher education, on inspiring universities in
self improvement. It has totally forgotten its inspectation role .... to see that the new universities
start with a proper agenda. It is therefore urgently necessary that the UGC is revamped through
induction of persons of right eminence and caliber, so that its rightful intervention into the affairs
of the universities looks legitimate and justified. The recent performance of UGC has added to
frustration. Time has come to critically evaluate the performance of UGC as against huge
expenditure for maintaining UGC.
Teaching learning Process, Assessment and Accreditation
Contact hour between teachers and students has been precariously low at all level in all types of
institutions. In degree colleges and public universities the contact hour is low by any standard.
The teaching learning method is pre-dominantly lecture oriented. In this method interaction
between teacher and students, and among students is minimum and most student simply pass
time passively listening to the lecture. In developed countries this lecture method has become
obsolete and out dated. This method needs to be immediately replaced by problem solving
approaches giving more emphasis on developing thinking ability, self confidence, power of
comprehension and oral and written communication.
Accreditation in higher education is a collegial process of self review and peer review for
improvement of academic quality and public accountability of institutions and programs. Two
types of accreditation, commonly used every where may be introduced:

a) institutional

accreditation and b) professional accreditation. Institutional accreditation should be awarded if

the college or university meets the prescribed standards of the accrediting agency. Professional
accreditation on the other hand is found to be extremely useful when institutions often seek
specialized accreditation for any specific department/institutions within the college/university.
Internationally, accreditation is viewed as a voluntary process based on the principles of
academic self governance. It is high time that the UGC in close cooperation of universities
devised proper accreditation system to monitor the quality of tertiary education both in terms of
internal as well as external assessments.
Institutions and Quality Teaching Initiatives
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13

Institutions want to be recognised as providers of good quality higher education. They

understand that competing on the basis of research only is not sufficient to ensure the reputation
of the university. As such, they want to find new ways of demonstrating performance. They
respond to students demand for valuable teaching: students want to ensure that their education
will lead to jobs and will give them the skills needed in the society of today and tomorrow.
Mobility of students and growth of fees increase the consideration given by students to the
quality of the teaching.
Support for quality teaching in the sample encompasses a wide range of initiatives that are
grouped under three major headings:
1. Institution-wide and quality assurance policies: including global projects designed to
develop a quality culture at institutional level, like policy design, and support to organisation and
internal quality assurance systems.
2. Programme monitoring: including actions to measure the design, content and delivery of the
programmes (through programme evaluation notably).
3. Teaching and learning support: including initiatives targeting the teachers (on the teaching
side), the students (on the learning side) or both (e.g. on the work environment). Examples
include continuing education for faculty, pedagogy enhancement, student support (e.g. mentoring
and career advice), support for student learning (focused on inputs, such as the introduction of
new pedagogical tools, or on outputs, such as the development of certain abilities for the
students).
Even if accepted in principle, the evaluation of quality teaching is often challenged in reality. All
the institutions have implemented evaluation instruments to monitor their action. But as teaching
is primarily appraised through activity and input indicators, the institutions struggle to create
reliable evaluation instruments of the impact of quality teaching. The demonstration of the causal
link between teaching and learning remains challenging for most institutions. Although quality
teaching is an influential factor on learning outcomes, it is difficult to isolate (and thereby
support) the right factors that most affect learning outcomes. In the absence of appropriate
evaluation tools, some institutions have been imaginative, for instance by designating more
qualitative indicators.
Total Quality Management on Higher Education in Bangladesh

14

Quality teaching initiatives have a tangible impact on teaching and on research

Teachers become more aware of the aim pursued by teaching beyond their own
knowledge area, they understand their role as individuals and as components of a
collective mission, and can better relate their own expectations to the programme or
institutions expectations in terms of learning outcomes. The impact on pedagogy is
discernible despite the small number of quantitative measurements. In particular, quality
teaching initiatives enhance information technology in pedagogy improvement and
analysing student-teacher interactions. In institutions that are fully autonomous in
programme design, quality teaching initiatives help teachers and leaders to refine the

aims and content of programmes.

Instruments and policies that foster quality teaching are likely to be beneficial to research
activities. An increasing number of institutions are convinced that they will make quality
teaching progress by combining professional orientations and research.

Current Work of Higher Education in Bangladesh

To identify the issues with quality in higher education, a survey was conducted to understand the
facultys perceptions of areas to improve. Faculty members are internal customers who are
intimately involved in the implementation of improvement initiatives. Thus, their input should be
considered carefully. Before conducting the survey, pilot testing was conducted in three
universities to validate and update the questionnaire. The survey questions used a five point
Likert Scale with response options as strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree and strongly
disagree. The thirty-question survey was divided into four different areas in order to identify
which areas have the greatest needs. These areas were curriculum, assessment, faculty
involvement, and administration support. The survey was sent electronically to all ninety-one
project managers who received a grant from the University Grant Commission for Higher
Education Quality Enhancement Projects (HEQEP). The project managers were from different
public and private universities across the country and adequately represent the higher education
Faculty population in the country.

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15

A number of Higher Education Quality Enhancement Projects (HEQEP) funded by UGCBangladesh includes improvements of teaching-learning processes at different universities in
Bangladesh. To provide effective training for sustainable improvement of quality requires
international experts in pedagogy. There are a number of expatriate Bangladeshi experts who are
interested and willing to contribute to quality improvement initiatives in Bangladesh. The current
chairman of the University Grant Commission of Bangladesh expressed his interest in providing
support to these experts. Other universities in Bangladesh must also take initiatives to arrange
workshops and training by these experts on the teaching and learning process.

Defining a

common understanding of quality of higher education and establishing an improved knowledge

and understanding of pedagogy can play a critical role in the higher education quality
improvement initiatives of Bangladesh.

Total Quality Management on Higher Education in Bangladesh

16

Chapter
Three

Findings and Recommendations

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17

From the above discussion it is clear that limited resources and insufficient facilities are the
major challenges for quality higher education in Bangladesh. So the following recommend can
be considered.

Education is neither an economic goods nor an economic service. Economic goods and
services are traded in the market on the basis of commercial philosophy of profit
and maximization of utility. Profit maximization motive of private investors in education
has been minimizing the social objectives of education including quality. Thus business
in education must be stopped by government intervention.
Teaching profession must be made attractive through offering separate salary structure so
that talented and bright persons with high academic and research background come into
this profession.
Politicization and favoritism of employment, posting, and promotion must be stopped.
A monitoring board under the UGC can be established to assess the quality.
Better understanding among teachers and students, introduction of modern teaching
methods and dedication of teachers and students can improve the quality of higher
education in Bangladesh .
Cheaper higher educational opportunities in Bangladesh should be utilized effectively
and efficiently to develop individuals for socio-economic development of the nation.

Conclusion
Quality higher education changes the society and remains the center of change and development.
Different Education Commissions have theoretically emphasized on unlocking potential at all
levels of the society and creating a pool of highly trained individuals, who could contribute to the
nation building. But in practice the standard of higher education of Bangladesh has failed to
bring any positive change. Quality higher education should not be a slogan only. It should be a
commitment of the government. If Bangladesh could successfully address the existing challenges
of quality higher education it could provide world class higher education at moderate cost
and could be a model to the whole world.
References

Bangladesh AIUB perspective. Dhaka: A1 Publication. (2006). Quality assurance in

tertiary education: Bangladesh experience. Paper presented at the World Bank Learning
Seminar, 1820 June, CIEP, France.
Bangladesh University Grants Commission (2007). Strategic Plan for Higher Education
in Bangladesh: 2007-2012, Dhaka.
Ministry of Education, Government of Bangladesh, National Education Policy-2000.
Monem

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Andaleeb, S. S. (2003). Rejuvenating the Nations Higher Education System.

Proceeding of the workshop organized by International University of Business
Agriculture and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

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