Ho Chi Minh City will need VND349 billion ($18.27 million) to build student dormitories in the 2011-2015 period, said the municipal People’s Committee June 21. The move aims to provide accommodations for 5,000 students by then, the Phap Luat Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh newspaper reported June 22. The southern metropolis now has 328,500 students who are studying at universities and colleges, of whom 70% come from other provinces. Existing dorms can meet only 17% of the accommodation demand. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved to spend VND1.425 trillion ($77.1 million) to build student dormitories in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City this year. Of the sum, VND625 billion is allocated to Hanoi and VND800 billion is allocated to Ho Chi Minh City.
