Accommodation crisis leaves students in limbo

Fears of financial strain, disrupted academic life, and displacement are overshadowing campus life at the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) as students face uncertainty over looming accommodation changes.In an online meeting, the university announced that beginning next semester, some students will no longer qualify for on-campus housing. A new point-based system will determine residence allocation, awarding points based on study level, sports participation, and special needs status.Instead of reassurance, the announcement has triggered anxiety. Students, speaking anonymously, described growing unease ahead of the release of the accommodation list this month. The list will decide who stays on campus and who must seek housing in Palapye.“We are stressed because no one knows whether they will make the list,” one student said. “You cannot focus properly on academics when you do not know where you will stay next semester.”Others highlighted the financial burden of off-campus living. Transport from the bus rank to BIUST can cost up to P40 per trip, while rising rental prices in Palapye threaten to deepen the strain on students already juggling tuition, food, and academic expenses.BIUST insists the move is unavoidable.Director of Communications and Public Relations, Godfrey Kgopana, said portacabins used as residences were temporary structures now beyond repair, with recurring drainage faults, deteriorating infrastructure, and cockroach infestations. Renovations, he added, are no longer financially sustainable.The university defended the point-based model, saying it was developed through consultations with past Student Representative Councils (SRCs) and stakeholders. BIUST pledged fairness and transparency, while noting ongoing talks with transport providers and landlords to ease costs. Counselling services and appeal mechanisms will also be offered.Long-term plans include a Public-Private Partnership project to build 3,000 new student bed spaces.Newly elected SRC president, Precasto Kgosi Lefiri acknowledged student concerns but said the council inherited the process. He pledged to explore interventions, including negotiations with landlords and community leaders, to reduce the burden. “Despite this being a new and unfamiliar issue, the SRC is committed to supporting students,” he said.For many, however, the immediate worry remains: whether access to education can remain equal when the cost of simply getting to class continues to rise.

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Accommodation crisis leaves students in limbo