South Africa is facing a chronic student housing shortage. While universities across the country search for ways to provide affordable accommodation, preconceived ideas about what student housing should cost is preventing major advancements. To ensure the next generation of students is adequately provided for, it is vital for universities and developers to change the way they think about student housing – this starts with the cost.
The Department of Education has acknowledged that at least 300 000 beds are required to accommodate the nation’s students. Lack of accommodation has been directly linked to higher failure and dropout rates for first year students. Affordable, quality student accommodation is critical for the success of not only individual students, but the country as a whole. This is a crisis of affordability, which can in part be addressed by reducing the cost of providing a student bed.
Read more in this op ed by Director of STAG African, John Schooling: https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/innovation-can-produce-affordable-student-housing-op-ed-2021-02-04/rep_id:4136