Special Reports – Africa Edition
Student Support Services
AFRICA
Student support services remain crucial for degree completion
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Student support services are crucial building blocks towards students’ successful completion of their studies. Amid cultural, generational and educational shifts, universities have had to rethink the nature of student support services. In the next few weeks, University World News Africa will be focusing on different aspects of student support services and how they can enrich campus life.
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GLOBAL
Dorothy Lepkowska
The solutions to some of the problems facing students globally were identified by students in this year’s Magna Charta Observatory Student Essay Competition, the theme of which was inclusion. Winning entries tackled such challenges as transgender rights, community engagement and discriminatory admission practices.
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NIGERIA
Abdulwaheed Sofiullahi
The poor state of infrastructure, in particular that of toilet facilities, on many university campuses in Nigeria is affecting students’ health and, as a result, their academic performance. Universities need to upgrade facilities, maintain them and consider proper waste disposal mechanisms as well as water-saving fixtures, experts say.
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NIGERIA
Fatimah Hamid
Universities should acknowledge and address menstruation-related issues by not just raising awareness among men and women students, but also dispelling the stigma, and creating an environment on campus conducive to menstrual health and hygiene. This includes flexibility with class attendance.
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EGYPT
Wagdy Sawahel
Egypt is taking steps to launch several new initiatives, including the establishment of university centres for career development and university-employers digital platforms, to build bridges between higher education institutions and the job market and develop skilled graduates.
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NIGERIA
Afeez Bolaji
A nursing student at Havarde College of Science, Business and Management Studies in Ogun State, Nigeria, sank into a depression that reached a tipping point earlier this year. She decided to end it and, on the evening of 19 February, upon arrival at a hospital, was confirmed dead.
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AFRICA
Wachira Kigotho
Mental health issues such as stress, anxiety and depression are higher among university students in Sub-Saharan Africa than in the general population, a situation that raises concerns about the relatively poor rates of treatment at higher education campuses in the region.
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KENYA
Wilson Odhiambo
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AFRICA-SOUTH AFRICA
Zachariah Mushawatu
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AFRICA
Wagdy Sawahel
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KENYA
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Scovian Lillian
Interest in student affairs and services is expanding worldwide, complemented by a growing commitment to provide students with a more informed entry into the competitive global world. With the increasing population and diversity of students, new areas that require attention and support keep on emerging.
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RWANDA
Alice Tembasi
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AFRICA
Wachira Kigotho
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NIGERIA
Olabisi Deji-Folutile
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NIGERIA
Olabisi Deji-Folutile
Although most public universities in the Sub-Saharan African region would acknowledge the right of their female students, as adults, to produce babies, most universities are yet to develop a formal policy that makes provision for the safety and care of students’ offspring on campus.
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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Augustin Sadiki
Many higher education institutions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo lack sexual and reproductive health services and contraceptives, leaving students with little support. Ignorance coupled with societal taboos often leave students who fall pregnant alone and afraid.
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ZIMBABWE
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Clemence Manyukwe
Involving students as peer educators and counsellors in psychosocial support services at the Harare Institute of Technology in Zimbabwe encourages, especially, women who grapple with issues such as gender-based violence and drug abuse, to talk about them. Support from UNESCO strengthens the system.
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GHANA
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Francis Kokutse
Established in 1997, the Directorate of Student Affairs (formerly the Office of the Dean of Students) at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, or KNUST, in Ghana has made significant progress in meeting the specific needs of its students. KNUST director of communications Daniel Norris Bekoe shared his insights.
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KENYA
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Scovian Lillian
Sophie Chuaga, the dean of students at Taita Taveta University, a public university located in Voi, Taita-Taveta County, Kenya, believes that student support services are vital for the holistic development of students in both public and private institutions of higher learning.
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AFRICA-KENYA
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Scovian Lillian
Professor Washington Okeyo, vice-chancellor of the Management University of Africa, believes that student services in higher learning institutions have a direct impact on students’ academic success while also helping to develop individuals who are better equipped to contribute to society and the workforce.
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