Reports suggest that students at various tertiary institutions across the country are resorting to cohabiting during semester periods as accommodation continues to be scarce in the country.
It is also reported that most parents are not aware of these so-called “semester marriages” but only know that their children were sharing accommodation with friends.
The high rate at which the “morning after” pill is bought from pharmacies located near the tertiary institutions during semester periods also suggests that students are engaging in unsafe and unprotected sexual intercourse. Some of the students are reported to be living in overpopulated environments.
Speaking during a dialogue meeting called to discuss a possible end to rampant sexual abuse in the country’s universities and colleges, one student, Vanessa Amidu said:
Universities across the country do not have accommodation for all students and most find themselves living outside campus.
But the challenge is, accommodation offered in some residential areas is far beyond the reach of many, hence they end up staying with their boyfriends.
These are what we call semester marriages, because students cannot afford to pay for accommodation and most parents are not even aware of the arrangement, so they basically choose to live with their boyfriends.
The which was held at the University of Zimbabwe last Friday was supported by Embassy of Sweden. It was attended by students from 10 tertiary institutions.
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