UNIVERSITY and college students under the Student Christian Movement of Zimbabwe (SCMZ) on Wednesday implored government to urgently attend to the acute shortage of accommodation and put in place measures to curb sexual harassment of female students at the country’s tertiary institutions.
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Students who spoke during a discussion with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development said many students could not afford paying rentals at private boarding houses.
Avril Bingare from the Bindura University of Science Education said private boarding houses cost up to $300 a semester for each student.
“Many students cannot afford this and end up renting single rooms in residential areas where it is not a conducive and safe environment for a student,” said Bingare.
Dzidzai Tshuma of Midlands State University (MSU) said students were forced to pay $80 each to stay in private boarding houses where at least three of them share a single room.
“Many residential houses in Senga suburb, which is near the MSU campus, have been turned into private boarding houses where house owners are making a killing out of the students who would have failed to secure accommodation on the campus,” she said.
Most students said the accommodation crisis and the current inability by government to support tertiary education, exposes students to sexual harassment and prostitution.
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Other students made sensational allegations of sexual harassment by lecturers and other university staff.
Patience Malunga of MSU said female students face sexual harassment from some lecturers who demand sexual favours in exchange for high marks.
“These students suffer in silence, with nowhere to report to as there are no relevant structures at campus,” she said.
Bingare implored government to set up mechanisms like anonymous whistleblower and counselling facilities to end sexual harassment and other irregularities at tertiary institutions.
Zimbabwe National Students’ Union national spokesperson Avoid Masirara said government should honour its obligations to improve infrastructure and provide funds for the cadetship programme.
Under the cadetship programme, government undertakes to fund the education of students who cannot afford university fees and in turn the students will be bonded into the civil service.
Masirara said the cadetship programme was not working effectively because government was not paying its dues to universities.
“This means it’s the students who end up owing what government would have failed to pay and the current $500 to $700 per semester fees at universities is beyond the reach of many hard-pressed parents,” he said.
Kuwadzana MP Lucia Matibenga expressed shock at the harrowing stories students presented.
Matibenga said she would push for the students to give oral evidence before Parliament.
SCMZ programmes officer Pretty Mubaiwa said: “We are currently working on helping to create safer learning environments and living conditions for female students at tertiary institutions.”
Other MPs who attended include Evelyn Masaiti and Bhekitemba Nyathi.
