A study conducted at Durban University of Technology found that the majority of students cannot afford the tuition fees and this negatively impacts their academic performance. The majority of students indicated that they resort to part-time jobs to cover their personal expenses and tuition, however the fact that they have to work part-time leads to absenteeism. Poor test grades up to failure were mentioned as the effects of missing classes.
However, the majority mentioned that personal expenses are not a challenge as they can afford them. There were those who said they couldn’t afford personal expenses either and would do anything to make ends meet. This proves that the challenges placed on students may be due to their background. Finance is a non-academic challenge, but it has a major impact on student academic performance.
There were other challenges raised by students that negatively impacted their academic progress. These challenges include basic resources and access to. Despite the challenges the students expressed, they were still determined and hopeful to achieve their degree. They shared their views on how to improve their academic life despite the financial burden they carry.
The students were very optimistic and believe that achieving this qualification can change their lives and lead to better careers. When asked about the progress of their studies, they indicated that things like workload weren’t much of a challenge, advising others to avoid procrastination in order to complete tasks on time and meet deadlines to fulfill their commitments as students.
Students feel that there are additional supportive activities that the institution and faculty can offer to facilitate their academic progress. They mentioned receiving additional courses for the areas they were struggling with and emphasized important sections of the modules. They also believe that e-learning can also be very helpful if instructors can post notes and other information on the board for easy access. This will also help by giving them more time and getting to classes when it really matters.
They believe that staying focused and working hard can lead to success. Little things like good time management can improve the academic life of students. They advised not to stress and stay focused. For those who were stressed, they suggested joining the on-campus anxiety support group and finding someone they can trust to provide relief.
Thanks to Nokwanda Sikhakhane | #Finance #Major #Challenge #Academic #Life