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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
Government has signed 16 Memoranda of Understanding with the private sector for infrastructure development that includes student accommodation at institutions of tertiary and higher education.

This was said by the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development, Professor Amon Murwira, while responding to questions in Parliament recently.

“The Government has signed sixteen 16 MoUs for infrastructure development at institutions of higher and tertiary learning in Zimbabwe. These understandings are the student accommodation and other related facilities in the form of university cities. Development agreements have been signed for student accommodation at the following institutions: NUST (for 8 064 beds), UCT (4 068 beds), BUSE (5 040 beds) and GZU (8 000 beds). The ministry has also secured $150 million for student accommodation from CBZ,” he said.

He added that there were ongoing negotiations with potential investors for joint venture agreements to expand student accommodation at the University of Zimbabwe, the country’s oldest university.

He added that Government had engaged a South African company to for financing student loans.

“Government has developed a policy on student loans financiers have been identified and engaged on the matter. The Ministry has signed an MoU with Fundi, a company incorporated under the laws of South Africa for student loan financing,” said Prof Murwira.

The Ministry is also engaging other local and foreign financiers for student loan financing in an effort to provide conducive and enabling conditions for students at higher and tertiary institutions.