ISRRT_COVID-19_book

Students’ perspectives on the impact that COVID-19 had on the
Mable Kekana and Kathryn Malherbe
academic program
Introduction
The disruptions on the academic program brought up by the COVID-19 pandemic affected
both the undergraduate and post graduate students. Impact on contact classes which had to
be suspended and replaced with on-line sessions was felt mostly by the undergraduate and
honors students. The masters and doctoral students were not impacted since they are
conducting full research and do not attend classes. Their contact with study leaders has
always been via email or telephone. The ability of the students to carry out their research
projects was also impacted. COVID-19 further provided an open picture of the different social
classes among the student population. There were students who have been completely
dependent on the facility in the institution that lock down and advent of studying from home
was a complete blow. Challenges faced by some students was lack of computer devices and
internet connection. To others their personal living conditions were not conducive to study.
In as much as some students were inconvenienced by the decisions to study from home and
on-line, there were others who were happy to be back in their comfortable homes with their
families. The authors present students’ perspectives in relation to the different challenges
and experiences as they observed them. These perspectives are not limited to radiography
students, but include nursing, physiotherapy, medicine and occupational students in the
Faculty of Health Sciences.
The decision to go back home.
The call to close the residences and send all students home was made at the end of March
2020. Students had a certain unease of what the pandemic entailed and how this would
impact them for the upcoming study year. Some students prefer campus environment
because their houses would not provide the privacy and space needed for study. In all these
financial, social and economic challenges the university provided support in the form of
educational psychologists who worked tirelessly in supporting students during these trying
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