News / National
Lupane State University moves to ease students accommodation woes
21 Feb 2019 at 07:27hrs | Views
LUPANE State University (LSU) is set to complete construction of a students' hostel on campus to ease accommodation challenges.
The shortage of accommodation last year saw students protest against the university's decision to force them to share rooms. This followed plans by the university to relocate some of the students to its main campus in Lupane.
LSU spokesperson Zwelithini Dlamini yesterday confirmed the developments to Southern Eye.
"According to the plan, the hostel will be for female students but for now, that same hostel accommodates both male and female students. We are hoping that by the beginning of this year, the other hostel for males will be finished and ready for occupation," he said.
"Unfortunately, construction has its own matrices and takes time for some of the work to be completed. Right now, we have one major outstanding works which should be completed and that is the fitting of electricals and of the interior works. We are hoping that by at least the first quarter of the year — end of March or mid-April, the contractor should be done."
Dlamini said the current hostel is filled up to capacity and they have had to assist the students to find accommodation outside campus.
"As of the beginning of this week, the director of campus and dean of students are seized with assisting students to find accommodation outside campus. Three part-four students are supposed to share one room, four part-three students have to share a single room," Dlamini said.
"But because we have been overwhelmed by student numbers, we have had to request that the part fours accept being accommodated in fours. So precisely, our students are now accommodated in fours per room."
Dlamini dismissed reports that eight students were being accommodated in one room.
"It is unfortunate that we have heard stories that we have eight students in a room, which is not true.
The shortage of accommodation last year saw students protest against the university's decision to force them to share rooms. This followed plans by the university to relocate some of the students to its main campus in Lupane.
LSU spokesperson Zwelithini Dlamini yesterday confirmed the developments to Southern Eye.
"According to the plan, the hostel will be for female students but for now, that same hostel accommodates both male and female students. We are hoping that by the beginning of this year, the other hostel for males will be finished and ready for occupation," he said.
"Unfortunately, construction has its own matrices and takes time for some of the work to be completed. Right now, we have one major outstanding works which should be completed and that is the fitting of electricals and of the interior works. We are hoping that by at least the first quarter of the year — end of March or mid-April, the contractor should be done."
"As of the beginning of this week, the director of campus and dean of students are seized with assisting students to find accommodation outside campus. Three part-four students are supposed to share one room, four part-three students have to share a single room," Dlamini said.
"But because we have been overwhelmed by student numbers, we have had to request that the part fours accept being accommodated in fours. So precisely, our students are now accommodated in fours per room."
Dlamini dismissed reports that eight students were being accommodated in one room.
"It is unfortunate that we have heard stories that we have eight students in a room, which is not true.
Source - newsday
