Refilwe Moloto spoke with Fundi CEO Makgau Dibakwane about student accommodation research in South Africa.
A white paper has revealed that there is a significant student accommodation deficit at South African universities which Fundi, an education finance and fund management entity, says needs to be addressed.
Fundi is an organization that has been involved in education for 26 years and helps finance higher education, from tuition loans to housing assistance, and more.
Refilwe Moloto spoke with Fundi Managing Director Makgau Dibakwane about student accommodation research in South Africa.
According to this research, there is a capacity gap of around 500,000 beds, which can create difficulties for students coming from rural or semi-rural areas to find places to stay in the university.
This has a negative impact on the student’s potential for success in college, especially for those who come to town for the first time and are now unable to find a safe space to live in an unfamiliar environment.
We have a very unique challenge in South Africa. All of these students have to come and live in areas where they have never been before and they have to live in shared spaces. And we just have to make sure they’re in safe homes, safe spaces, to ensure and improve their chances of success.
Makgau Dibakwane, CEO of Fundi
According to Dibakwane, Fundi is ready to partner with all relevant stakeholders to close this gap and ensure that all measures are put in place to find a solution that helps students in need.
For more, listen to the full audio above.
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