Achievements and Challenges for Higher Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Rapid Review of Media in Africa
Abstract
:1. Introduction
“…acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotions of a culture of peace and nonviolence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development” [7].(p. 21)
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Search Strategy
2.2. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
2.3. Screening and Eligibility
2.4. Quality Assessment and Data Extraction
3. Results
3.1. Higher Education Achievements during COVID-19
3.1.1. University Processes–“No Students Left Behind”
Head of Universities SA Prof Ahmed Bawa told TimesLIVE that the underlying principle is that not a single student in the system should be left behind.(2020-04-20-no-student-will-be-left-behind-by-e-learning-universities-sa)
“This means that every university will restructure the academic year so as to ensure that every student has a fair and equal opportunity to complete the academic year, even if it means going into the first part of 2021,” said Bawa.(2020-04-20-no-student-will-be-left-behind-by-e-learning-universities-sa)
“What we have recognised is that given the time that has already been lost, there has to be a reorganisation of the academic year, and it’s possible that the end of the academic year would extend into the beginning of 2021,” said Diane Parker, the deputy director-general responsible for university education.(2020-04-21-academic-year-likely-to-spill-over-into-2021-higher-education-ministry)
Nzimande said they were aware that it was not only NSFAS [referring to National Student Financial Aid Scheme] funded students who require these devices and while the government cannot commit for the so-called missing middle students, they have made institutions aware of this. He said they are working with all institutions on the reprioritisation of funds that could be used to buy such devices for students who need them.(2020-05-15-government-wants-to-be-in-charge-of-university-laptops-procurement)
3.1.2. Support Strategies Provided
The University of KwaZulu-Natal will provide transport services for students who cannot afford to travel home after the closure of the institution due to the coronavirus outbreak.(2020-03-20-ukzn-to-transport-res-students-home-amid-coronavirus-closure)
The department of higher education & training on Saturday announced that they have successfully negotiated favourable rates with all mobile network operators for National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) beneficiaries and the Funza Lushaka students.(2020-05-24-department-of-higher-education-secures-lower-mobile-rates-for-nsfas-beneficiaries)
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) will continue to fund students while the 2020 academic year is underway, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said in a briefing on Thursday. “Funding for all students will continue while the academic year is underway even during the lockdown,” he added.(nsfas-funding-to-continue-while-academic-year-is-underway-nzimande-20200430)
MPs heard that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) continues to pay students their allowances during this period, but that it recognised that with the extension of the academic year there may be a need to support students for additional months, possibly into the first quarter of 2021.(2020-04-21-academic-year-likely-to-spill-over-into-2021-higher-education-ministry)
3.1.3. Social Responsiveness: Putting Skills and Knowledge to Use
University students can play a critical role during these difficult times and can be a part of the greater conversation in leading change in how we tackle Covid-19. It is your time to lead your families, communities, and societies by taking charge of the situation. The key is to listen to our adaptive leaders who have thoroughly and persistently given directives and have been transparent throughout the process. Here’s how you can assist: Lead by example; Educate people in your community; Spread the message to elders in remote communities; Stop stigma and discrimination and think of ways to bounce back (use this time to reflect).(opinion-covid-19-how-students-can-play-a-critical-role-during-the-pandemic-20200330)
Hundreds of health science students have organised themselves into volunteering groups to assist medical staff at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town during the Covid-19 pandemic. From making cloth masks to screening people for the virus, they are putting whatever medical skills and knowledge they have to use.(2020-05-25-a-call-to-action-medical-students-volunteer-to-step-out-of-the-the-classroom-into-the-coronavirus-pandemic)
3.1.4. Intersectoral Collaborations-“The Pandemic Offers the African University a Fresh Start”
The COVID-19 pandemic should only be used as a stage for a ‘great leap’ forward. The pandemic offers the African university a fresh start.(from-a-pre-colonial-to-a-covid-19-post-university)
But perhaps this pandemic has also created an opportunity for science and evidence to regain credibility in informing government decision and public trust and for universities to demonstrate respect for evidence…Universities are making progress in manufacturing personal protective equipment, developing new technologies for non-intensive care unit provision of oxygen to Covid-19 patients, finding methods of testing for the virus to reduce turnaround times, and various other scientific advances.(2020-05-08-covid-19-an-opportunity-for-universities-to-regain-public-trust)
3.2. Challenges in Higher Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic
3.2.1. Crisis-Era and Student Uncertainty
The transition to online teaching and learning during the lockdown will lead to historically disadvantaged institutions and students from poor socio-economic backgrounds being left out.(2020-05-18-poorer-institutions-limited-access-to-tech-platforms-worries-lecturers)
The universities that claim full readiness to switch to e-learning are simply engaged in a narrow and self-serving public relations exercise. Many poor black students, regardless of institutional affiliation, live in already congested homes which do not provide an enabling environment for e-learning. The signal strength of the network in some parts of South Africa is too weak to allow for uninterrupted e-learning.(2020-05-18-poorer-institutions-limited-access-to-tech-platforms-worries-lecturers)
The South African Union of Students rejected the plan to save the academic year of the Minister of Higher Education as it supported advantaged universities and not disadvantaged universities.(2020-05-05-student-union-rejects-two-tier-plan-to-save-the-academic-year)
Hence, when introducing emergency remote teaching and learning, the switch to a different pedagogy and approach, university management did not have sufficient time to restructure the fixed cost of the budget.(should-varsities-receive-a-covid-19-stimulus-package-20200423)
The truth is Covid-19 has disrupted the lives and plans of not only students, but everyone else. The fact that things remain uncertain makes it even worse, causing anxiety about what is going to happen next. This brings another challenge, which is psychological. Most students are stressing about their future—the health effects of this are, of course, undesirable.(2020-04-09-covid-19-and-south-african-universities-a-raft-of-problems-to-ponder)
3.2.2. Without the Provision of Support, Students Are Concerned They Will Not Succeed
One of the disadvantages of online learning is that you are not surrounded by people who are studying your course, so you can’t really engage with each other about the work.(2020-05-25-dark-divide-the-very-different-experiences-of-students-trying-to-e-learn)
We haven’t started yet. It’s something that they’ve been talking about, and they keep sending out communiques to say they are still making plans.(2020-05-25-dark-divide-the-very-different-experiences-of-students-trying-to-e-learn)
Nzimande said while they acknowledge that students who fall within the so-called “missing middle” category, as well as students in private institutions also needed support in accessing data for their online learning, as many of them also come from homes that are hit hardest by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, unfortunately government is currently not in a position to subsidize them.(2020-05-23-department-of-higher-education-secures-lower-mobile-rates-for-nsfas-beneficiaries)
...30% of the varsity’s 24,000-strong student body does not have access to devices like laptops, or even to data, while on lockdown at home.(watch-uwc-appeals-for-public-help-so-no-student-will-be-left-behind-46740100)
“There is no plan for fringe groups, no plan for postgraduate students, no plan for students that must be on-site to fulfil their academic duties, as well as international students,” he said. “There are students with disabilities who are assisted by student support structures only available on campus to ensure that they navigate the demands of university, [and] students with psychological issues emanating from the demands of university or their domestic home situations, where they are now bound.”.(2020-04-20-no-student-will-be-left-behind-by-e-learning-universities-sa)
Thus, the other challenge relates to the stranded international students who cannot travel back to their home countries at this critical time due to lockdown restrictions on international travel.(2020-04-09-covid-19-and-south-african-universities-a-raft-of-problems-to-ponder)
3.2.3. Delays in Research and Postgraduate Student Projects
The coronavirus outbreak has taken a heavy human toll and temporarily slowed malaria drug development by freezing new clinical trials and delaying existing ones. But as a reminder of how a pandemic can wreck lives and livelihoods, it reinforces the importance of infectious disease research.(africa-must-have-research-and-treatment-tailored-to-its-reality)
Enrolling in university is a big achievement for many, especially those who are the first in their families to study towards obtaining a degree. But regulations around the containment of Covid-19 and the resulting changes may leave many students feeling as if they won’t achieve their goals of one day graduating varsity.(disadvantaged-university-students-on-online-learning-some-dont-even-own-smartphones-20200403-2)
4. Discussion
New Information
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Higher Education Achievements during the COVID-19 Pandemic | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. University processes– “No students left behind” | 2. Support strategies provided | 3. Social responsiveness: Putting skills and knowledge to use | 4. Intersectoral collaboration–“The pandemic offers the African university a fresh start.” | ||
Challenges in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic | |||||
1. Crisis–era and student uncertainty | 2. Without the provision of support, students are concerned they will not succeed. | 3. Delay in research and postgraduate student projects |
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Share and Cite
Sonn, I.K.; Du Plessis, M.; Jansen Van Vuuren, C.D.; Marais, J.; Wagener, E.; Roman, N.V. Achievements and Challenges for Higher Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Rapid Review of Media in Africa. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 12888. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182412888
Sonn IK, Du Plessis M, Jansen Van Vuuren CD, Marais J, Wagener E, Roman NV. Achievements and Challenges for Higher Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Rapid Review of Media in Africa. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(24):12888. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182412888
Chicago/Turabian StyleSonn, Inge K., Marieta Du Plessis, Carel D. Jansen Van Vuuren, Janene Marais, Emma Wagener, and Nicolette V. Roman. 2021. "Achievements and Challenges for Higher Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Rapid Review of Media in Africa" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 24: 12888. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182412888