Unpacking South African Institutions of Higher Learning Efforts and Hurdles to Respond to COVID-19: Social Service Professionals’ Lenses

Abstract

Incontrovertibly, COVID-19 has overwhelmed institutions of learning in a big way with various institutions in South Africa endeavoring to surmount the challenges in different ways. This article has reviewed various sources of secondary literature from mainly journals. Findings established that institutions of higher learning need to strengthen their institutional modus operandi of communicating coronavirus messages; to change the staff and students’ mindset to strengthen response; advocacy to relay message to staff and students; infrastructural support to mitigate the effects of staff and students; and to avail requisite psychosocial support. The article also established the following hurdles: teaching adjustments and gadget deficits; disruption of school curriculum and academic calendar; and pitfalls of working from home. The article has recognized the need for institutions to enlist the support of social service professionals such as social workers in availing the requisite psychosocial support to both students and the staff.