Pretoria
- The
Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has signed a R90-million long-term loan
to help the Durban University of Technology (DUT) construct a new student
village.
The
student village will create an additional 804 student beds, which will enable
DUT to relocate students living off campus.
The
shortage of appropriate and affordable student accommodation at the 22 contact
universities in South Africa has become a significant problem.
The
current backlog of student accommodation is estimated to be 195 815 at a total
cost of R82 billion.
DBSA
Group Executive for South Africa: Financing Division, Tshokolo Nchocho, said
supporting universities and other Further Education and Training (FET) colleges
to deliver social infrastructure in the form of student accommodation remains
an important focus area for the DBSA.
He said
the intervention will accelerate the provision of quality and affordable higher
education as a fundamental building block for the growth path of South Africa.
Nchocho
said the loan facility forms part of the bank’s strategy to modernise the
administrative and learning facilities, as well as addressing significant
backlogs in student accommodation at many contact universities in the country.
“We are
pleased to be part of this intervention, which signifies the Bank’s commitment
to addressing on-campus student accommodation at our universities, where only
20% of students are housed in secure, decent accommodation within walking
distance to lecture halls and libraries,” he said.
SOURCE - SAnews.gov.za
EDUCATION
