Initiative to Validate 'Invalid' Certificates from Darul Ihsan Sparks Storm

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) has taken steps to validate certificates from Darul Ihsan University, which was shut down over allegations of certificate trading and other irregularities, in an effort to resolve issues faced by affected teachers. A letter has been sent to the Ministry of Education seeking necessary action. The matter will be discussed in the MPO Appeal Committee's meeting on Sunday (8 March).

This move to legitimize the invalid certificates has triggered widespread criticism within the education administration. Stakeholders argue that validating certificates from a university closed by court order raises serious legal and ethical questions.

DSHE sources indicate that approximately 50,000 teachers currently employed in non-government institutions hold certificates from Darul Ihsan. Many are facing various administrative hurdles. Efforts are underway through DSHE and the Ministry of Education's syndicate to address these problems. Allegations of large financial transactions in this process have also surfaced.

Sources further note that various institutions have around 10,000 B.Ed certificate holders, 10,000 teachers awaiting seventh-grade salaries, 20,000 awaiting eighth-grade salaries, and 10,000 awaiting higher scales. Additionally, several hundred secondary school heads are facing MPO issues after changing institutions. Around 10,000 teachers in library and information science are also struggling to obtain higher scales.

When asked about the recommendation to validate the invalid certificates, DSHE Director General (additional charge) Professor B.M. Abdul Hannan told The Daily Campus: "I don't remember when I signed and sent the letter. I also don't know why the letter was sent. Contact the Ministry of Education for updates on the letter's progress."

The letter, signed by B.M. Abdul Hannan in his additional role as DSHE Director General, states that MPO-enlisted teachers appointed with certificates from Darul Ihsan are facing complexities in MPO enlistment, higher scales, and promotions to higher posts. It seeks directives from the ministry to resolve these issues. A 2015 letter from the University Grants Commission (UGC) dated 31 May mentioned the acceptability of certificates from the university's Dhanmondi campus. Based on that, the Ministry of Education sent directives on 1 November 2015 regarding certificates from Darul Ihsan and five other private universities. Subsequently, some with certificates from the Dhanmondi campus were enlisted under MPO.

However, on 13 April 2016, the High Court ordered the closure of all activities at Darul Ihsan University. Later, on 25 July, the Ministry of Education directed the shutdown of all operations and outer campuses. The court's ruling did not directly invalidate the certificates. In this context, the DSHE letter mentions that many who obtained certificates from Darul Ihsan before the court ruling were appointed as teachers or assistant librarians in non-government institutions and enlisted under MPO. However, since 2016, they have been unable to receive various administrative benefits.

The letter highlights nine types of complications. These include inability to get MPO after changing institutions as head teacher despite prior MPO enlistment, inability to get MPO benefits after promotion from assistant teacher to assistant head teacher, denial of higher grades or salary codes due to B.Ed certificates, denial of higher scales after receiving B.Ed scale, and even denial of promotions or higher benefits due to prior certificates despite later obtaining B.Ed from the National University. It also mentions that many heads appointed in non-MPO institutions are unable to get MPO benefits after the institution becomes MPO-listed because of Darul Ihsan certificates. Similar issues are faced by many teachers appointed as assistant librarians.

A section of the education administration says that attempting to legitimize invalid certificates in the name of resolving problems could set a major precedent for the future. When asked about this, Additional Secretary (Non-Government Secondary) Md. Mizanur Rahman of the Ministry of Education's Secondary and Higher Education Division told The Daily Campus: "We have received DSHE's letter. However, no discussion has taken place yet. We need to see what the court has said; there is no scope to legitimize something invalid. The final decision on this matter will be taken by the Honorable Education Minister."

According to Ministry of Education documents, efforts to validate certificates from Darul Ihsan University—closed over certificate trading and other allegations—have sparked controversy before. In 2018, a High Court order declared certificates of students listed on the university's website as valid. The Ministry of Education took steps to appeal against that order.

A ministry letter sent to the UGC in May 2018 stated that measures should be taken to stay the High Court order and file an appeal. This dashed the hopes of certificate holders. Earlier, in 2016, the High Court's ruling closed all campuses of Darul Ihsan University. The verdict stated that Darul Ihsan is not a university in the eyes of the law and directed the government not to permit any university under this name in the future.

The university had long been controversial due to ownership disputes, irregularities, and certificate trading through outer campuses. In October 2010, the government formed a one-member judicial inquiry committee led by Justice Kazi Ebadul Haque to investigate these allegations. In March 2013, the committee submitted its report to the Ministry of Education and recommended closing the university.

Earlier, in 2007, the Ministry of Education ordered the closure of outer campuses, leading the university authorities to file a writ in the High Court. Taking advantage of the stay order, 33 outer campuses were opened, and later more than 300 branch campuses were operated. In this situation, DSHE's initiative to resolve issues for teachers holding Darul Ihsan certificates has sparked new controversy in the education administration. Stakeholders say that any decision without clarifying the legal and ethical aspects could create further complications in the future.