The Sunday Mail
Nokuthula Dube
WHEN universities opened for the second semester in mid-October, Melissa Dube, a second-year student at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ), endured one of the most difficult phases of her academic life.
Covid-19 regulations forced authorities to cut down on the number of students they could admit in their residencies.
Hostels that were previously shared were now given to individual students in line with the need to ensure social distancing.
UZ has had long-standing accommodation challenges, which were compounded by new health protocols.
The coronavirus pandemic has similarly worsened accommodation woes for students at universities and institutions of higher learning across the country.
Corruption, especially by those responsible for allocating rooms, has naturally set in.
Dube, who hails from Bulawayo, was among those who could not secure accommodation on-campus.
Rentals charged off-campus were higher than her family had budgeted for.
A recent survey by The Sunday Mail showed that students living off-campus pay as much as US$75 to US$100 per head per month for shared rooms.
And landlords insist on US dollar payments.
“We are pleading with the responsible authorities to intervene because not only are the external rentals expensive, but we are now vulnerable to many risks such as being sexually victimised by those who offer accommodation,” Dube told The Sunday Mail.
“We understand that there are not enough hostels, but I think that accommodation should be given to students staying outside Harare, as they do not have many options when they fail to secure accommodation on-campus.”
Hope
Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira said the Government continues to acquire land across the country to construct hostels for students.
“The aim is to make sure there is no student who will rent at those homes, where homeowners are taking advantage of the situation,” said Prof Murwira.
He said this programme will take time as institutions are now constructing the accommodation halls on their own, as opposed to the prior arrangement of sourcing contractors.
“Great Zimbabwe University in Masvingo has been running an aggressive expansion drive, as it renovated Gaths Mine and has now recently acquired Mashava Mine for the same purpose.
“Lupane State University has constructed a hostel which accommodates 1 200 students, Bindura has 700 female apartments.
“At Midlands State University, we have finished two big hostels which accommodate 700 students. Plans are afoot for UZ and NUST (National University of Science and Technology) to have new hostels. So we are making progress.
“We are mindful of the fact that our students have suffered for a long time, but all this is going to come to an end,” he said.
Zimbabwe Congress of Students’ Union president Pijiwest Nhamburo said developments at some State institutions are encouraging.
“We really appreciate that the Government is tackling this accommodation issue as we have seen progress at Bindura and Great Zimbabwe universities where they are building hostels for large number of students. We pray that the process can be expedited because many students are desperate. It is not only universities, but all colleges, like teachers’ colleges and polytechnics.”
Nhamburo implored authorities to look into reports of student abuse by property owners.
In South Africa, for example, the law requires private home owners who provide student accommodation to be accredited.
This allows them to ensure that students, even if they fail to get residencies on-campus, still live comfortably and with dignity.
This helps to curb cases of abuse of students who are desperate for accommodation.
“Students should not be subjected to abuse or have their studies affected by accommodation issues.
“There should be proper guidelines on how students should be accommodated, even at private residencies.
“Regulations for students’ off-site accommodation can include a maximum cap for rentals and a commitment to prevent all forms of abuse such as sexual harassment by landlords,” Nhamburo said.
