Govt should act urgently on tertiary students accommodation

TERTIARY institutions should make sure they recruit students they can accommodate in their hostels so that everyone is equally and decently accommodated.

Government should enter into partnerships with the private sector, notably banks and corporates to construct students accommodation among other things.

Government needs to ensure adequate funding and resources are allocated to learning institutions to better our education.

Responsible authorities should also talk with those who offer off-campus accommodation and agree on maximum rentals for accommodation, which can guarantee the safety and well-being of students who live off-campus.

Some landlords in Mount Pleasant near the University of Zimbabwe are charging as much as US$100 per head for a room occupied by more than seven students.

Education has become expensive.

Government must religiously follow up on deals it signs with the private sector to ensure provision of accommodation is done in a timely fashion before irreparable damage is done to the ailing education system.

Taking a leaf from developed countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States and South Africa, provision of student accommodation must be guided by a comprehensive policy framework, which moves away from hall-style residence hostels to more student-centred apartments, with the adoption of head lease schemes and publicprivate partnerships.

These student apartments would do away with problems of overcrowding and also protect the privacy and personal spaces of students using on-campus accommodation.