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Building hostels via public-private partnerships
Student hostels at Chuka University.
The National Treasury has cleared the development and construction of student hostels at the University of Nairobi through public-private partnerships (PPPs), setting the pace for other institutions of higher learning to use the model to address accommodation challenges.
The higher education sector has witnessed tremendous growth and expansion, with attendant challenges like provision of adequate, decent, accessible and quality student accommodation. There is a high demand for higher education, with little corresponding investment in student accommodation. Students have had to contend with the available options, often leading to insecurity.
Public institutions have limited financial, technological and innovative approaches to address this huge demand. The public sector financing of university infrastructure and academic programmes has been affected by debt crises and inadequate resource mobilisation strategies, among others.
Stakeholders have called for the diversification of sources of financing and funding of university infrastructure and academic programmes. One of the ways in which this can be done is through PPPs. Countries like the United Kingdom, United States and South Africa provide student accommodation through comprehensive policies that advocate student-centred apartments or villages implemented through leasing schemes and PPPs.
The public sector cannot finance the much-needed university and higher learning institutions’ infrastructure without greater engagement of the private sector through many approaches and methodologies, including the use of PPPs. Universities have ample land and sizeable numbers of students as their leverage in PPPs.
Given the current financing challenges, PPPs are the only appropriate tool that can be used to accelerate the development of infrastructure in the institutions of higher learning.
Dr Giti is an urban management, PPP and environment specialist. [email protected]; @danielgiti.
