Hostels hike fees
Jun 08, 2008
Students’ hostels around Kampala have hiked fees, with most managers attributing it to the rise in costs of living.
By Conan Businge and Robert Owiny
Students’ hostels around Kampala have hiked fees, with most managers attributing it to the rise in costs of living.
The hostels, mostly for university students, have raised accommodation fees by sh50,000 to sh150,000.
The increments take effect in August, when the new academic year begins.
A survey conducted by The New Vision around Makerere University revealed that Akamwesi hostel increased their accommodation fees to sh500,000 from sh450,000 for shared rooms and sh1m from sh850,000 for singles.
The administrators were unwilling to comment, but students said they had been told the new fares would be implemented next semester.
Shared rooms in Mulago View Hostel now cost sh300,000 up from sh280,000, while Fiona Girls charges sh350,000 up from sh300,000. Kyoga Boys’ Hostel has increased to sh220,000 from sh200,000.
The warden at Fiona Hostel attributed the increase to “the rising fuel and electricity costs.â€
“There is nothing we can do in this case. We just have to increase the prices to meet the costs of running the hostel,†she explained.
At Sunrise Hostel, which has a general increase on all rooms, the warden, Simon Ocung, said: “All hostels have increased. We are actually the cheapest. We have just increased by sh10,000 because of the increasing operational costs.â€
Paramount Hostel has increased its fees to sh180,000 from sh170,000. Kasamba girl’s hostel’s fees are at sh290,000 from sh275,000.
“The prices of water and electricity have gone up. This means we have to increase the costs. It is inevitable and I hope that the parents and guardians will appreciate the situation,†Kam Nsimbe, the Kasamba Hostel warden, said.
Students, however, argued that the hostels have not improved their services, much as they were hiking the accommodation fees.
“The problem is that no one regulates these hostels’ fees, even for those affiliated to the university,†said a second-year Medicine student.
Students’ hostels around Kampala have hiked fees, with most managers attributing it to the rise in costs of living.
The hostels, mostly for university students, have raised accommodation fees by sh50,000 to sh150,000.
The increments take effect in August, when the new academic year begins.
A survey conducted by The New Vision around Makerere University revealed that Akamwesi hostel increased their accommodation fees to sh500,000 from sh450,000 for shared rooms and sh1m from sh850,000 for singles.
The administrators were unwilling to comment, but students said they had been told the new fares would be implemented next semester.
Shared rooms in Mulago View Hostel now cost sh300,000 up from sh280,000, while Fiona Girls charges sh350,000 up from sh300,000. Kyoga Boys’ Hostel has increased to sh220,000 from sh200,000.
The warden at Fiona Hostel attributed the increase to “the rising fuel and electricity costs.â€
“There is nothing we can do in this case. We just have to increase the prices to meet the costs of running the hostel,†she explained.
At Sunrise Hostel, which has a general increase on all rooms, the warden, Simon Ocung, said: “All hostels have increased. We are actually the cheapest. We have just increased by sh10,000 because of the increasing operational costs.â€
Paramount Hostel has increased its fees to sh180,000 from sh170,000. Kasamba girl’s hostel’s fees are at sh290,000 from sh275,000.
“The prices of water and electricity have gone up. This means we have to increase the costs. It is inevitable and I hope that the parents and guardians will appreciate the situation,†Kam Nsimbe, the Kasamba Hostel warden, said.
Students, however, argued that the hostels have not improved their services, much as they were hiking the accommodation fees.
“The problem is that no one regulates these hostels’ fees, even for those affiliated to the university,†said a second-year Medicine student.