According to the Vice Principal, Dr Nancy Chitera the proposal by government to venture into partnership with the Private Public Partnership Commission has been finalized. 

“We started meetings with the consultancy and the contractors to construct two hostels, one on campus while the other will replace the Poly Alley hostels,”Chitera explained.

The hostels are supposed to provide additional ten thousand bed spaces to both under and post graduates.

Speaking on this development, the Dean of Students, Lusciano Ndalama said, this is long overdue and a great initiative because it will reduce the pressure that he gets from students because of the accommodation issue.

“Students have been meeting challenges like high rentals, but mostly my concern is about security. Many students have lost their valuable items from thugs on their way and within their various private hostels,” Ndalama explained.

The Hostel Supervisor, Isaac Mbewe welcomed this development as a great relief to people working on the ground with students on accommodation.

“There have always been queries from students seeking places on campus but we could not accommodate each one of them because of the insufficient bed space,” Mbewe explained.

The Polytechnic Students Union (PSU) president Japhet Nthala concurred with the Dean of students on the security and high rentals as some of the challenges students face.

“This program will also help increase accessibility of college facilities such as the library without the students worrying about distance and time,” Nthala explained.

A third year Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health student Innocent Mndala and a third year Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Yusuf Chimole, concurred with what the PSU president said. 

As students they also pointed out the glitches of high rentals, security and accessibility to the library as some of the challenges faced. They both are grateful to management by coming up with this project.

In addition, Japhet Nthala requested management to involve students in the construction programs to get involved in this project as part of practical in their studies.