Student accommodation not only solves the problem of students but also shows how important it is for the state to provide access to education for its citizens.
Why should I be interested in this topic?
There is a need for student accommodation in many countries of the world. Within the framework of both state and private sector cooperation, some countries try to offer students as much affordable housing as possible. It is important to know what the Georgian state does to solve this problem.
Our Comment
- The state does not have a proper housing policy – this also applies to student dormitories.
- This means that the state cares less about access to education and leaves it to the individual responsibility of the student.
- Therefore, a student or his family who cannot afford to rent an apartment has limited access to education.
Context
In 2022, as a collateral result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the number of citizens of Russia and Belarus who came to live in Georgia increased. The amount of real estate they have purchased is also high.
This had an effect on increasing the price of real estate and apartment rents, which made it particularly difficult for students to rent apartments in the capital.
Rents have become more expensive not only in the central areas but also in the suburbs, which were more affordable until now. For example, the apartment rent price per square meter increased in July 2022 compared to July 2021:
- In Vake - by 61%
- In Saburtalo - by 72%
- In Chughureti - by 79%
- In Isani - by 75%
- In Gldani - by 59%
- In Samgori - by 71%
What is the problem?
- In Georgia, the number of student accommodations is insufficient, and some of those that are available are unsafe to live in. The vast majority of students from the regions have to rent apartments for their education.
The construction of two student residences was financed within the framework of the state's support for student housing, that are as follows:
- 200-bed student residence of Batumi State University, built in 2018.
- 320-bed student accommodation of Tbilisi State University, built in 2017.
- 10,000 out of 22,000 students at only Tbilisi State University are from the regions.
What should we know?
- Due to the pandemic, many businesses employing students, among others, suspended operations due to government regulations.
- The state supported employees, who lost their jobs due to the regulations, with 200 GEL for 6 months, and the self-employed with a one-time 300 GEL.
- This support was not sufficient to meet the needs of the employed students, and this minimum support did not cover the informal workers, including students employed in the informal sector.
- Due to the loss of jobs, the temporary suspension of public transport, and the transition to the online format of education, a large number of students from the region left the capital.
- Tbilisi State University decided to switch from online learning to offline mode in the second part of the spring semester. This required that the students return to the capital for 2 months. In order to do this, students had to find housing in a short time, and students who were already employed in the region had to leave their jobs.
Student protest
The order to transition to the offline learning mode at Tbilisi State University was followed by the student protest. Based on the current socio-economic situation in the country, the Student Movement of May demanded:
- To continue the remaining weeks of the semester in online/hybrid mode like in other universities.
- To improve the conditions in the student residence, to move students from the student residence in Bagebi that is in a hazardous condition and support them with rent before the construction of new accommodation.
- Construction of new student housing in a short period of time, which would provide affordable rent for students.
Response of the university
The administration of Tbilisi State University did not consider the students' protest relevant and commented that:
- Conducting online exams would be unfair to those students who have already returned to the capital and who could take the exams in the auditorium.
- And it did not offer a solution to the second part of students who could not afford to continue their studies in the auditoriums.
- Moreover, the university did not specify when the new student accommodation would have been built.
State policy
There is no substantial state accommodation in the country, which would solve the housing problem of students who move to the capital from the regions to a large extent.
Additionally, since 2018, we have been constantly hearing about the construction of a new student residence, although its construction has not yet begun.
How can this problem be solved?
The state should actively start working on the issue of student accommodation, and it must take complex steps to solve these problems:
- Allocate a budget to provide an adequate number of student accommodations and speed up the construction process, as other socio-economic problems (e.g. rent prices) are increasing at a rapid pace.
- After the construction, ensure regulating the price of student housing so that the prices are affordable for students, for example, as is the case in Romania.
- Ensure the removal of students from a residence that is in a hazardous and life and health-threatening condition (e.g. Bagebi residence) and offer them alternative accommodation.
- A temporary solution could be to reduce the cost of living for students by other mechanisms. For example: with rent subsidy, as is the case in Finland.
The article was prepared with the support of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung. Commercial use of all media published by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) is not permitted without the written consent of the FES.
