KENYA: An accommodation crisis is looming at the Kisii University as freshers start trooping in.
The situation seems to have been made worse by the high number of students who have been admitted to the university this semester.
At least 2,000 students selected by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) and 3,000 self-sponsored students have been admitted.
For David Korir, looking for a hostel has been his worst moment despite longing to join university.
Thursday, he was forced to seek accommodation at a hotel in town, saying he had no option but to look for a low-end lodging as he continues scouting for rental houses.
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“We do not have an option but I guess these are the bitter roots of education,” he said.
By yesterday around 10am, the university had announced that the 400-bed capacity hostels within the campus were all occupied.
PRIVATE HOSTELS
The administration advised the new students to seek alternatives in private hostels outside the institution.
A parent, Dismas Mokua, said the university should strive to embrace Private-Public partnerships to provide housing for the rising number of students.
“We understand the university’s core duties are teaching and research, but there must be a way to allow investors provide physical facilities such as housing in order to ensure access to higher education is expanded,” said Mr Mokua.
Already, there are private developers around the university but the question is whether they can accommodate all the students.
Kenyatta University is planning such a project with private developers, to have thousands of units built on its expansive land to ensure that affordable but decent accommodation is accessible to its large student population.
