Student Governance and the Academic Minefield During COVID-19 Lockdown in South Africa

Abstract

Since 1997, the ordinary students at South African universities have depended on the SRC to be at the forefront of student advocacy in relation to resources to support their academic experiences. The onset of the lockdown on the eve of 26th March 2020 had an unprecedented effect on student life, with a change of student governance from cohesion to isolation. Adopting a snowball sampling methodology, 15 students registered at various South African universities were interviewed via WhatsApp about the support they received from their SRC during the COVID-19 lockdown. The impact of the lockdown on student governance is examined through the lens of ordinary students. Findings suggest that the surge to technology-based modes of interaction and self-regulated learning had a resultant effect of a highly compromised academic experience, even though some were able to adapt to online learning. Adjusted approaches to student governance are inevitable as the coronavirus continues to manifest.