The shortage of boarding houses in big […]

The shortage of boarding houses in big cities like Lusaka cannot be overemphasized; despite the presence of many universities and colleges, accommodation is a luxury.

According to information gathered by the Zambian Business Times, it is this shortage that has given rise to most house owners shifting from residential to commercial.

 However, such a shift in most instances does not make the house owners furnish their properties according to the requirements of a boarding house. Thereby exposing the students to high prices and unsanitary environments in terms of water and toilets, raising concerns over the health and well-being of the students.

 The Higher Education Authority (HEA) statistics reveal that there are over 156,000 students enrolled across Zambia in more than 200 registered institutions.

 According to experts, there is no clear guidance over the facilities that should be included when the conversion is made to commercial. And there’s no clear monitoring for most of the boarding houses, and mostly the Lusaka City Council just discharges the license without proper follow-through. The experts have further observed that despite the cries of the students, nothing much has been done.

Despite some institutions building hostels within campus, the shortage is still at large, and the call for property boarding houses now makes more appeal. Some experts have wondered why the local investors have not taken advantage of the shortage to build value for money boarding houses.

Education is the key to success, but it begins with schools and the government creating and enforcing policies that ensure affordable housing for schools and the government creating policies and enforcing them to create affable housing for the learners. Who is to blame? Parents and other stakeholders must take keen interest in evaluating the boarding houses and ensuring that there is safety in all regards.

Article by Samuel Phiri