Academic, Financial and Administrative Issues of Online Teaching During Corona Pandemic: The Scenario of Private Universities in Bangladesh

Regarding financial and administrative issues involved in online teaching, the study focuses on the views of the teachers of private universities in conducting online classes during the corona pandemic in Bangladesh. Based on primary data collected from teachers of 22 private universities selected randomly, study finds some reasons for online classes like financial needs and obligations of the university to pay the salaries and other allowances by collecting tuition fees from the students, to save the academic year of the students, to follow the directives of the UGC and Government, etc. The study also finds some significant differences in the uses of technology, internet, and equipment by the teachers before and during the corona pandemic. Online teaching has significant effects on teachers' training, student's punctuality in attending classes, interactions between teachers & students. It also helps authority in monitoring the classes. Finally, the study recommends some policy guidelines for the University Owners & authorities, Government, UGC, and the faculty members as well.


Introduction
In Bangladesh, there are 105 listed private universities (Akter, 2017). Since March 17, 2020 government asked to stop academic activities of the educational institutions of the country for the safety of the stakeholders. From then, for their interests, some private universities have started academic activities through online teaching. Almost every higher educational institution is challenged to develop an increasing number of staff to teach online or blended modes of learning. The process needs to be rapid, cost-effective, and lead directly to practical outcomes (Gregory & Salmon 2013). But there is a big debacle about these teaching methods as it is a new practice in the university education of Bangladesh. Universities claimed that the online teaching method rescued the academic activities of the students and the universities. University grants commission also permitted to conduct the classes through an online platform. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has permitted private universities to hold the online exam to complete the running semester which has already completed 70% of the syllabus with at least 60% of students being present (DhakaTribune, 2020). The UGC chairman said: "Future may have many uncertainties, but difficult times demand a quick and appropriate decision. We must be optimistic that we can reinvent work and engage the students effectively and constructively." To conduct classes online, 24-hour internet facilities are demanded by teachers and students. Khan (2020) mentioned that the internet is keeping the world somehow walking in the darkest hours of the Covid-19 pandemic. And mobile telephony is the tool that is keeping Bangladesh limping. On the other hand, due to the suspension of on-campus classes, private universities facing problem to collect tuition fees from the students. Tuition fees are the main source of revenue for private universities in Bangladesh. In a statement, the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh said private universities have not faced such a financial crisis since 1992 (Jasim, 2020).
As online teaching is a new issue in the higher education of Bangladesh, only a few works have been done. This article intends to find out the causes and effects of the online teaching of the private universities' education systems. Teachers' views are reflected mainly through this article.

Research Objectives
The study aims to -▪ Find out the causes of online teaching regarding financial, academic and administrative issues ▪ Chalk out the effects of online teaching ▪ Find out the problems of conducting online teaching and ▪ Recommend policy to conduct online teaching effectively.

Research Methodology
This study attempts to describe the effects of online teaching in the private university sectors of Bangladesh during the corona pandemic. This is mainly a primary data-based empirical research. Data are collected by using a random sample model. If a sample is selected according to the rules of probability, it is called a random sample (Islam, 2015). A prescribed questionnaire is used to find out the effects of online teaching systems. Responses of Professor (6.1%) and Associate Professor (14.4%) are not at a satisfactory level in this survey. This is basically for the existence of a poor number of senior teachers in private universities in Bangladesh. The study has chosen 23 private universities randomly from different parts of the country. Table-1 shows that the maximum respondents are from metropolitan cities of Bangladesh. Some universities are situated at district levels. The number of respondents from universities situated in rural areas is very poor (6) which are shown in Table-1.0.

.2 Causes of Online Teaching
The study classifies the reasons that are in three categories: Academic Issues, Financial Issues, and Administrative Issues.  Table 2 presents the teachers' view to find out the reasons for online classes by private universities regarding academic, financial and administrative issues. The study finds that the main reasons for online teaching are to resume the academic activities of private universities in Bangladesh. Private universities strictly maintain the academic calendar. So, it was a demand from the students and their guardians to start the academic activities through online systems. Non-government universities are maintaining their operating costs from the tuition fees collected from the students. Without conducting classes and examinations, the universities cannot ask the students to pay the tuition fees. Therefore, financial demands, revenues collection, payment of the salaries of teaching, and academic staff are the biggest issues to go for online teaching. In a press release on March 24, the University Grant Commission (UGC) advised the private universities to take online classes to recoup the academic losses as a result of the suspension of academic activities during the Covid-19 outbreak. These initiatives are highly informative to the faculty members and the students to enhance their knowledge (Gomes, 2020).

Test of Hypotheses
The study designed 5 null hypotheses to test based ANOVA techniques of a 5% level of significance. Test results are:  Table 3, the results of ANOVA reject all null hypotheses as the p-value is less than a 5% level of significance. So, all alternative hypotheses under this study are accepted. So, it is inferred that maximum private university teachers are not well trained on online teaching before the corona pandemic. After the declaration of resuming the classes through online, teachers are acquainted themselves with different platform like Zoom, Google Meet, Hangouts, Google Classrooms, etc. It is also inferred that teachers were not well equipped before the corona pandemic in Bangladesh to conduct online classes. Test of hypothesis also proved that maximum private universities did not provide financial supports of internet data cost to the teachers. Even most of the universities did not arrange any training program for the teachers regarding conducting online classes. As the p-value is less than 0.05, the null hypothesis is rejected and the alternative hypothesis is accepted. So, it is inferred that student participation and attendances are more in online classes than in regular on-campus classes during the corona pandemic situation.

Effects of Online Teaching in Private University Sectors of Bangladesh
The present study finds positive impacts of online teaching in various aspects. Regarding the impacts of online teaching, Verpoorten, Westera, and Specht (2012). argued that today's electronic learning environment expands opportunities to reinforce reflection by prompting learners about the content at hand and about their way to internalize it. As per the directives of the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC, 2020), private universities conducted online classes which affect positively to resume the classes. The study found class monitoring becomes easier by the authority during the corona pandemic through the online class system. It is agreed upon and strongly agreed by 63% of teachers. Only 5.3% of teachers strongly disagreed with this argument. In a circular, UGC stated that during the coronavirus situation, the salaries and allowances of all the teachers/officers/employees of the university are to be paid regularly as before (UGC, 2020). After conducting online classes, The study also finds that at least 16% of teachers have purchased new equipment to conduct online classes. That means modernization and technological awareness are increased and improved by the faculty members. Many of the universities of Bangladesh had arranged online training programs for the teachers after the corona pandemic. Technology and network-based interactions between teachers and students are significantly improved through online teachings. Table 3.0 shows that 78% of teachers agreed & strongly agreed with this issue. Sixty-three percent of respondents admit that this system creates a chance to work from home now and then.

Policy Recommendation
Based on result and analysis, the study recommends some policy which can be implemented by three bodies: Owners & authorities of private universities, University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. University owners & authorities should provide necessary logistic supports and financial supports to the teachers. They should arrange effective training programs by the expert to train the teachers for online teaching. Universities must purchase a licensed platform for online teaching. The government should encourage mobile phone companies to reduce the internet costs or ask them to offer special low costs education package for teachers and students as part of corporate social responsibilities. As users claim that the internet networks in rural areas are not satisfactory, the government can force the companies to improve the network at the rural level. The UGC can take initiative to observe the role of the authorities of private universities whether they abide by or not the rules prescribed by the UGC regarding online teaching. Faculty members should adapt themselves to the changing academic system. They should accept the new system and technology easily.

Conclusion
The study mainly focuses on the views of the faculty members of private universities in conducting online classes during the corona pandemic regarding financial and administrative issues. Study finds some reasons for online classes like financial needs and obligations of the university to pay the salaries and other allowances by collecting tuition fees from the students, to save the academic year of the students, to follow the directives the UGC and Government, etc. The study also finds some significant differences in the uses of technology, internet, and equipment by the teachers before and during the corona pandemic. Online teaching has significant effects on teachers' training, student's punctuality in attending classes, interactions between teachers & students. It also helps authority in monitoring the classes. Finally, the study recommends some policy guidelines for the University Owners & authorities, Government, UGC, and the faculty members as well.
The study ignores the views of the administration and the owners of private universities. The study also avoids the students' feedback and reaction to online classes. Therefore, it is a chance for new researchers to do further research in this field.

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Work from Home Opportunity 1 2 3 4 5 08 Interactions of Teachers and Students Improved 09 Class monitoring becomes easier by the authority 1 2 3 4 5 10 Purchasing of New PCs, Laptop, Tablets, or Smart Phones by Teachers for online  classes   1  2  3  4  5   11 Maximum Teachers were well trained on online teaching before corona pandemic 1 2 3 4 5 12 Teachers were well equipped for online teaching before corona pandemic 1 2 3 4 5 13 Maximum university arranged training program for teachers regarding online training