Govt medical colleges struggle with 43% teaching posts vacant

 Government medical colleges in the country are facing a severe teacher shortage, with 42.60% of positions vacant, hindering quality academic and practical education, as well as research, for students.

 According to the Directorate General of Health Services, 37 government medical colleges have a total of 6,446 teaching positions, of which 2,700 remain vacant. The highest shortage is at the professor level, with 64.65% of these positions unfilled.

 For example, Sher-e-Bangla Medical College in Barishal has only 137 teachers against 343 sanctioned positions. Of the 53 professor posts, only four have been filled.

 In February this year, the college students observed a seven-day shutdown, boycotting classes and academic activities, protesting teacher shortage and demanding recruitment.

"Our movement led to the appointment of 16 teachers at that time, which has somewhat eased the crisis. Some subjects previously had no teachers at all, but now they do. However, we still face a shortage of teachers in basic subjects," Azimul Islam, a fourth-year student at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College, told TBS.

Experts say the previous Awami League government set up many medical colleges for political reasons, often without proper infrastructure or faculty. Some even lack affiliated hospitals, leading to underqualified doctors.

Rashid-e-Mahbub, a public health expert and chairman of the Bangladesh Health Rights Movement, told TBS that the teacher shortage in medical colleges has been a long-standing issue and needs to be addressed.

"Without teachers, students do not receive quality education or develop the necessary skills. Without skilled doctors, the healthcare system will suffer, and ultimately patients will be the ones to bear the consequences," he said.

Alongside hiring new teachers, the government may cut student admission seats next year.

Professor Dr Nazmul Hossain, director general of the Directorate General of Medical Education (DGME), said efforts are underway to address the teacher shortage in medical colleges. At the same time, emphasis is being placed on improving the quality of underperforming government medical colleges.

"The previous government increased the number of seats in medical colleges without proper preparation. From next year, the number of seats will be reduced," he added.

Quality of education compromised

According to the Directorate General of Health Services, government medical colleges have 735 out of 1,634 assistant professor positions vacant, along with 1,250 of 2,453 associate professor positions. Additionally, 12 of 62 curator roles and 182 of 1,240 lecturer positions remain unfilled.

After Sher-e-Bangla Medical College, the teacher shortage is most severe at Sylhet Osmani Medical College, which has 354 teaching positions with 172 positions remaining vacant. The least shortage is at Mugda Medical College, with only 23 vacant among 117 posts.

Medical students say the teacher shortage is a prime reason behind their education quality falling behind the World Health Organisation's standards.

Sher-e-Bangla Medical College's Azimul Islam said, "The standard for group study in a lecture class is 15-20 students, but due to the teacher shortage, we are forced to form groups of 40 students each.

"Having too many students in one group study session negatively impacts the quality of education. Sufficient teachers are needed for quality and practical education," he said.

Professor Md Sayedur Rahman, special assistant at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, told TBS that it takes 5-7 years to train teachers for medical colleges.

He noted severe teacher shortages in basic subjects like anatomy, physiology, and microbiology, but none in clinical fields like gynecology and cardiology.

Sayedur Rahman said that teacher and infrastructure shortages are producing substandard doctors, and efforts are underway to improve medical education. "We are working to develop basic subject teachers, but results will take 3-5 years."

Number of medical college seats to be reduced

The former Awami League government raised MBBS seats by 1,030 for 2023-24, allowing 5,380 students into government medical colleges. However, the number of seats will be reduced next year.

"The 1,030 newly added seats will be reduced next year," said Professor Dr Nazmul Hossain, director general of the Directorate General of Medical Education (DGME).

"There isn't a single classroom in a medical college that can accommodate 200 students, yet we are taking 250 students there. We will ensure that no more students are admitted than the maximum capacity of each classroom," he said.

According to him, of the 37 government medical colleges, 14 are in a critical condition. Their shortcomings have been identified, and letters have gone out. He hopes visible progress will be seen in the coming days.