Student accommodation expected to be hard hit by Covid-19 construction holdup

South Africa’s already embattled construction industry has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, with many projects being forced to be put on hold.

This is compounded with an expected hike in prices as losses are recouped by the industry. It could spell disaster for students without accommodation.

STAG African CEO John Schooling warns that construction industry challenges will have long-term, far reaching effects, and that the situation could be “more dire than in previous years”.

The reason the industry is expected to hike prices is because this is the norm when any challenge is experienced, Schooling explained.

Innovation is key to saving the industry, which will benefit students as well.

“The norm isn’t acceptable. We have to innovate. We’ve got to build accommodation below R200,000,” School said.

The worry that the construction industry may leave students out in the cold was echoed by Universities South Africa (Ufas) CEO Professor Ahmed Bawa.

Bawa explained that many universities had construction projects that had now been put on hold, adding that the cost structure of these projects was likely to change if construction did not continue at a steady pace.

And although government was aware of this, and companies would still have to uphold their contracts, delays would lead to increased costs, Bawa lamented.

In addition to this, Bawa said internal accommodation facilities ran at a loss.

Universities are under stress at the best of times, but the threat of an extended academic calendar could bring about even more complications and admin headaches, including the possibility of altering the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) grant system.

Bawa said the biggest worry for universities right now was the implementation of social distancing, screening, testing and sanitisation across campuses. Campuses already operated at maximum capacity, which meant there would be limitations on how to manage the pandemic, Bawa explained.

“Government is looking for a plan to do a phased reopening of universities, while trying to understand how best to manage this situation.”

Uncertainty coupled with a trial-and-error approach meant universities just did not have the answers on how to accommodate and look after each student during and after a pandemic. However, this was an opportunity for the entire construction industry to rethink how they did business.

“All business models in the past have just come to an end – and that’s not all bad. Crisis causes innovation, and this could help revolutionise the student accommodation space,” Schooling said.

Reducing carbon emissions, wasted material using sustainable water practices on building sites, and making use of innovative building techniques and green building technologies were just some of the ways that costs and building time could be significantly cut without changing the quality of the end product.

“There should be no more rule books. Inefficiency and waste has to drop by 60%, and only innovation can do that.”

Schooling was optimistic that this change could be achieved.

“Nothing,” he said, “focuses the mind as an imminent hanging. The virus was that imminent hanging, and it should change our mindset, and force us to rethink our reality completely.”

Luckily, young people were more likely to thrive in changing circumstances, and Africa’s youth could be at the forefront of skills imports, Schooling said.

He explained that despite the myriad challenges facing Africa, it was the youngest continent in the world, and as the world aged, skills would be in short supply.

“A skilled youth could be our greatest import,” Schooling said.

“We must change a disadvantaged Africa into a young, educated and developing continent. And South Africa can and must play a leading role in the progress. I think we’re sitting with the greatest opportunities, and our time is now.”

But this can only be achieved if our students are looked after, much of which revolves around safe accommodation facilities for the youth to complete their studies.

Schooling explained that a lack of accommodation had been directly linked to high failure and dropout rates for first-year students.

With decent accommodation contributing to up to 80% of a university student’s likelihood to pass the year, it seems all that needs to happen is for every student to have a good space to eat, sleep, study and repeat.

But it is about so much more than the building itself.

Schooling warned that university dropouts often felt their sense of self-worth had been downgraded, and eventually this attitude led to a knock-on economic effect.

“If society doesn’t give students the opportunity or tools to pass, the movement towards tertiary education is futile.
Students should never have to worry about more than their studies,” Schooling said. “Not having a reliable and accommodating place to stay means compromising more than education – it means compromising one’s self-worth.”

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