TERTIARY STUDENT'S PERCEPTIONS OF PUBLIC HOUSING AMENITIES

Abstract

This study sought to determine what tertiary level students in Singapore want by way of public housing amenities in their respective estates. It was also intended that the study attempts to gauge the current satisfaction levels of the respondents to existing facilities or amenities in the estates and the relative importance of these facilities in their eyes. Finally, the study also sought to determine if the respondents would prefer to stay amongst neighbours with similar education backgrounds. This dissertation was intended to be a pilot study and as such for ease of data collection, the respondents in the sample population all come from The National University of Singapore (NUS). 150 final year undergraduates were given survey forms through the face-to-face interview technique to fill with respect to the above questions. The study revealed that the respondents were generally satisfied with their estate as a whole as well as with its amenities such as carpark, shopping and food facilities, quality of parks, open spaces and greenery and level of security. They felt least satisfaction with the amount of privacy they enjoyed and the provision of sports and recreation facilities. Another finding was that respondents in the older estates seemed to be more satisfied than those who stayed in the newer ones. The sex of the respondent did affect the satisfaction levels as well as the level of importance with which they ranked an amenity in certain cases such as with the level of security and the amount privacy. Finally the results showed that slightly more than 50% of respondents revealed that they have no preference towards staying in a block or neighbourhood consisting of their peers.