Youth advocacy for efficient hostel management and affordable university students’ housing in Buea, Cameroon

Abstract

Purpose Given the importance of hostels to students’ welfare and academic performance and recognition of the roles youths can play for affordable university housing, this study aims to investigate hostel management problems in the Buea Municipality, an educational hub in the South West Region of Cameroon. It explores potentials for youth advocacy for affordable university housing within the process of efficient hostel management. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected through a descriptive survey design from May to July 2015 via reconnaissance surveys, field observation, photographs, administration of questionnaires to hostel tenants (students) and interviews with hostel managers and law enforcement officials. The data have been presented and analysed using descriptive statistical techniques involving frequency tables, charts and percentages. Cartographic techniques have also been used to locate the study area. Findings It was found that hostel management problems in Buea stem from flaws arising from both hostel managers (landlords and/or caretakers) and hostel tenants (students) in contravention to affordable student housing and good governance principles of rent control, accountability, transparency, equality, participation and fairness. The notable hostel management problems found are indiscriminate rent increase, lack of transparency in billing and non-functional sub metres and non-refund of caution deposits by hostel managers, as well as violation of hostel rules, damage of hostel facilities and “selling of rooms” by hostel tenants. Originality/value This paper contends that youths have to be mainstreamed in the hostel management process with better platforms of advocating for affordable university students’ housing through rent control and other good governance practices in their hostel setting. It is hoped that the proposed efficient hostel management system and mainstreaming youth-led advocacy activities in affordable university students’ housing will go a long way to enhance students’ welfare and academic performance, help in rent control, fight against bribery and corruption and other governance problems.

The impact of campus housing problems faced by female expatriate students on the level of their academic achievement

“…The majority of the female expatriate students reported facing difficulties with the procedures followed by the campus housing administration to allow family visits, with a total weight of 318 and a weighted relative weight of 75.7%, followed by a lack of social activities that encourage integration with the new environment, with a total weight of 289 and a weighted relative weight of 68.8%. These findings are consistent with previous studies (Kortegast, 2017;Shakantu and Simpeh, 2018;Wanie et al, 2017) that highlight the need for advanced programs to support social compatibility for expatriate students. The third most common social problem reported was a lack of dialogue due to cultural and environmental differences, with a total weight of 273 and a weighted relative weight of 65%, followed by the inability to form successful social relationships with other female students, with a total weight of 251 and a weighted relative weight of 59.8%, and a lack of cooperation inside campus housing, with a total weight of 246 and a weighted relative weight of 58.6%.…”

Management of Facilities at Public Universities in Africa: Current Challenges and the Way Forward

“…Furthermore, they observed that facilities were the antithesis of healthy and secure facilities that can provide a stimulating and inspirational setting for users, who happen to be the critical judges of the quality of facilities. Related findings on the poor condition of facilities at public universities in Africa were also reported by CHE Lesotho (2012); Mendonca (2014); Adamu and Shakantu (2016); Abdullahi et al (2017); Wanie et al (2017);and Oyedeji (2018). Apart from the poor condition of the facilities, the Africa-America Institute (2015) equally lamented that most facilities at public universities in Africa are neglected and overcrowded.…”

“…1, 2021 facilities, the institutions fail to provide their intended services and achieve their objectives (Abdullahi et al, 2017). However, it was sad to note that most of these facilities at the majority of the public universities in Africa were in poor condition of repair (Ndirangu & Udoto, 2011;CHE Lesotho, 2012;Mendonca, 2014;Africa-America Institute, 2015;Adamu & Shantu, 2016;Wanie et al, 2017). The Commission for Africa 2005 report (cited in Ndirangu & Udoto, 2011) describes many public African universities as "in a state of crisis" without the basic physical infrastructure such as the internet connectivity, books, laboratory equipment and classrooms.…”

Exploring the Role of Fiqh Waqie in Waqf and Zakat Collaboration Framework for Hostel Development

“…This study aims to investigate the possibility of combining Islamic economic instruments such as zakat and waqf to finance the construction of hostels for university students. The significance of hostels to student welfare and academic performance justifies the university's responsibility to provide the best facilities for its students (Wanie et al, 2017). In recent years, however, hostels facilities have been financed differently, particularly with corporate donations (Opawole et al, 2019).…”