Walter Sisulu UniversityWalter Sisulu UniversityWalter Sisulu University


 SUPPORT SERVICES  |  ALUMNI  |  NOTICE BOARD  |  CONTACTS 

  • Home
    • Discover WSU
      • Overview
      • Focus Areas
      • FAQs
      • Important Facts
    • Vision & Mission
    • Governance & Leadership
      • Governance Structures
        • Council
        • Institutional Forum
        • Institutional & Campus SRCs
      • Leadership
    • Organisational Strategy
      • Higher Education Act
      • Statute
      • Policies
      • 2030 Strategic Plan
      • Predetermined Objectives
      • Annual Performance Plan
      • University Calendar
      • Annual Report
  • Study with Us
    • Undergraduate Programmes
      • New Students
        • Admission Requirements
          • Business Management Sciences & Law
          • Education
          • Health Sciences
          • Science Engineering & Technology
        • Student Accommodation
        • Fees & Financial Support
          • Fees
          • NSFAS & Funza
          • ISFAP
          • Other
        • How to Apply: The Process
        • Students with Special Needs
        • International Students
        • Important Dates
        • Student Online Services Portal
      • Returning Students
        • Re-Admission Requirements
        • Online Results
        • Student Accommodation
        • Fees & Financial Support
        • Students with Special Needs
        • International Students
        • How to Re-Register
        • Important Dates
        • Student Online Services Portal
      • Faculties
        • Buffalo City
          • Faculty of Business Sciences
          • Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology
        • Butterworth
          • Faculty of Education
          • Faculty of Engineering & Technology
          • Faculty of Management Sciences
        • Mthatha
          • Faculty of Commerce & Administration
          • Faculty of Educational Sciences
          • Faculty of Health Sciences
            • Health Sciences Research Ethics & Biosafety Committee
          • Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences & Law
          • Faculty of Natural Sciences
        • Komani
          • Faculty of Economics, & Information Systems
          • Faculty of Education
    • Postgraduate Programmes
      • Postgraduate Students
        • Admission Requirements
        • Online Results
        • Student Accommodation
        • Fees & Financial Support
          • Fees
          • NRF
          • Other
      • Faculties
        • Buffalo City
          • Faculty of Business Sciences
          • Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology
        • Butterworth
          • Faculty of Education
          • Faculty of Engineering & Technology
          • Faculty of Management Sciences
        • Mthatha
          • Faculty of Commerce & Administration
          • Faculty of Educational Sciences
          • Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences & Law
          • Faculty of Natural Sciences
        • Komani
          • Faculty of Economics, & Information Systems
          • Faculty of Education
    • Application Guide
      • 2023 Prospectuses
      • 2023 Registration Guidelines
      • Students with Special Needs
      • International Students
      • How to Re-Register
      • Important Dates
      • How to Apply: The Process
      • WSU Figshare
  • Teaching & Learning
    • Overview of the Directorate
    • Policies & Strategic Documents
    • Student Development & Support
      • Academic Advising
      • Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL)
      • Extended Curricula
    • Teaching & Learning Development
      • Staff Development Programmes
    • Learning & Teaching with Tech
    • Scholarship of Teaching & Learning
    • Writing Centre
  • Research & Innovation
    • Directorate of Research Development & Innovation (DRI)
    • Research @ WSU
    • Innovation @ WSU
    • Research Facilities & Centres
    • NRF-Rated Researchers
    • Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (PDRF)
    • Postgraduate Studies @ WSU
    • Grants, Bursaries, Conferences & Other Funding
    • Policies & Documents
    • The Team
  • Community
    • CE&ID Director's Introduction
    • About CE&ID
    • Work-Integrated Learning
    • Service Learning
      • Implementation Guides
      • Community Learning
    • Internationalisation
      • International Partnerships
      • National Partnerships
    • International Education
      • International Education Admission
      • International Education Events
      • Financial Information & Liability
      • Pre-Arrival Information
  • Library
    • Search Library Resources - OPAC
    • LibGuides
    • Library Services
    • Library Membership
    • Electronic Resources
      • E-Books
      • E-Journals
    • Research Support
    • Online Newspapers
    • WSU Vital Repository
    • WSU Figshare
    • Off Campus access to Library
    • Student Email Access
    • Open Educational Resources Commons
    • DHET List of Approved Journals
  • Student Life
    • Overview of the Directorate
    • Student Services Policies
    • Institutional & Campus SRCs
    • Student Societies
    • Student Health and Wellbeing
      • Sport & Fitness
      • Campus Clinics
      • Student Counselling Unit
    • Student Accommodation
    • Quick Links
    • Campus Life
      • Campus SRCs
  • Campuses
    • Buffalo City
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Business Sciences
        • Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology
    • Butterworth
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Education
        • Faculty of Engineering and Technology
        • Faculty of Management Sciences
    • Mthatha
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Natural Sciences
        • Faculty of Humanities, Social Science & Law
        • Faculty of Educational Sciences
        • Faculty of Commerce & Administration
        • Faculty of Health Sciences
    • Komani
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Education & School Development
        • Faculty of Economics & Information Systems Technology
  • Media
    • Current News
    • Media Releases
    • Media Resources
    • Speeches
    • Newsletters
    • Gallery
    • login

Current News

COVID-19 CONTINUES TO MARGINALISE WOMEN IN RURAL AREAS

covid marginalisation photo

The Covid-19 pandemic has stripped naked the severe marginalisation of women seeking access to educational opportunities in rural Eastern Cape communities, according to a Walter Sisulu University research study.

With the sudden shift away from the classroom in many parts of the globe, some are wondering whether the adoption of online learning will continue to persist post-pandemic as women in rural areas continue to be affected.

Taking to the podium at the WSU Institutional Research Day was Foundation phase and Educational Foundations lecturer in the department of Adult, Foundation phase and Educational Foundations Nontuthuzelo Ngubane, to present some of the Covid-19 related challenges experienced by women in rural areas.

“Findings determined that poor infrastructural conditions in rural communities and emotional tensions impacted negatively on remote teaching,” said Ngubane.

Students expressed that rural areas have inadequate infrastructure that leads to poor connectivity which made learning and teaching inaccessible.

The rough terrain includes deep valleys that their homes are built in which struggle with network connectivity. This study was conducted amongst female national diploma final year students.

She further added that despite the challenges that these women faced during this period, they continued to thrive.

“The lockdown expanded roles and family responsibilities as they had to fetch water, wood and even collect cattle from the grazing fields. The household chores burdened the female students as they battled to focus on education,” added Ngubane.

Some of the challenges that were mentioned by students were that, after their dowry was paid to their families, the lockdown was seen as an opportunity to showcase their abilities of becoming wives.

“With the challenges I have mentioned that the students encountered, universities did their best to support the students by providing them with necessary tools such as laptops and provided them with data for connectivity,” added Ngubane.

While COVID-19 has made online learning inevitable, and a practicable alternative to traditional schooling, a need for an inclusive approach that caters for the lived realities of rural learners is still visible.

- Anita Roji

Contact us

Nelson Mandela Drive, Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa

  • +27 47 502 2844

  • +27 47 502 2211

  •  enquiries@wsu.ac.za

About WSU

  • Overview
  • Council
  • Leadership
  • Important Facts
  • Campuses and Maps
  • Contact Us

Work With Us

  • Tenders
  • Vacancies
  • Support Services
Copyright © 2005 - 2021. Walter Sisulu University.
Powered by TTECH.
  • Home
    • Discover WSU
      • Overview
      • Focus Areas
      • FAQs
      • Important Facts
    • Vision & Mission
    • Governance & Leadership
      • Governance Structures
        • Council
        • Institutional Forum
        • Institutional & Campus SRCs
      • Leadership
    • Organisational Strategy
      • Higher Education Act
      • Statute
      • Policies
      • 2030 Strategic Plan
      • Predetermined Objectives
      • Annual Performance Plan
      • University Calendar
      • Annual Report
  • Study with Us
    • Undergraduate Programmes
      • New Students
        • Admission Requirements
          • Business Management Sciences & Law
          • Education
          • Health Sciences
          • Science Engineering & Technology
        • Student Accommodation
        • Fees & Financial Support
          • Fees
          • NSFAS & Funza
          • ISFAP
          • Other
        • How to Apply: The Process
        • Students with Special Needs
        • International Students
        • Important Dates
        • Student Online Services Portal
      • Returning Students
        • Re-Admission Requirements
        • Online Results
        • Student Accommodation
        • Fees & Financial Support
        • Students with Special Needs
        • International Students
        • How to Re-Register
        • Important Dates
        • Student Online Services Portal
      • Faculties
        • Buffalo City
          • Faculty of Business Sciences
          • Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology
        • Butterworth
          • Faculty of Education
          • Faculty of Engineering & Technology
          • Faculty of Management Sciences
        • Mthatha
          • Faculty of Commerce & Administration
          • Faculty of Educational Sciences
          • Faculty of Health Sciences
            • Health Sciences Research Ethics & Biosafety Committee
          • Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences & Law
          • Faculty of Natural Sciences
        • Komani
          • Faculty of Economics, & Information Systems
          • Faculty of Education
    • Postgraduate Programmes
      • Postgraduate Students
        • Admission Requirements
        • Online Results
        • Student Accommodation
        • Fees & Financial Support
          • Fees
          • NRF
          • Other
      • Faculties
        • Buffalo City
          • Faculty of Business Sciences
          • Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology
        • Butterworth
          • Faculty of Education
          • Faculty of Engineering & Technology
          • Faculty of Management Sciences
        • Mthatha
          • Faculty of Commerce & Administration
          • Faculty of Educational Sciences
          • Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences & Law
          • Faculty of Natural Sciences
        • Komani
          • Faculty of Economics, & Information Systems
          • Faculty of Education
    • Application Guide
      • 2023 Prospectuses
      • 2023 Registration Guidelines
      • Students with Special Needs
      • International Students
      • How to Re-Register
      • Important Dates
      • How to Apply: The Process
      • WSU Figshare
  • Teaching & Learning
    • Overview of the Directorate
    • Policies & Strategic Documents
    • Student Development & Support
      • Academic Advising
      • Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL)
      • Extended Curricula
    • Teaching & Learning Development
      • Staff Development Programmes
    • Learning & Teaching with Tech
    • Scholarship of Teaching & Learning
    • Writing Centre
  • Research & Innovation
    • Directorate of Research Development & Innovation (DRI)
    • Research @ WSU
    • Innovation @ WSU
    • Research Facilities & Centres
    • NRF-Rated Researchers
    • Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (PDRF)
    • Postgraduate Studies @ WSU
    • Grants, Bursaries, Conferences & Other Funding
    • Policies & Documents
    • The Team
  • Community
    • CE&ID Director's Introduction
    • About CE&ID
    • Work-Integrated Learning
    • Service Learning
      • Implementation Guides
      • Community Learning
    • Internationalisation
      • International Partnerships
      • National Partnerships
    • International Education
      • International Education Admission
      • International Education Events
      • Financial Information & Liability
      • Pre-Arrival Information
  • Library
    • Search Library Resources - OPAC
    • LibGuides
    • Library Services
    • Library Membership
    • Electronic Resources
      • E-Books
      • E-Journals
    • Research Support
    • Online Newspapers
    • WSU Vital Repository
    • WSU Figshare
    • Off Campus access to Library
    • Student Email Access
    • Open Educational Resources Commons
    • DHET List of Approved Journals
  • Student Life
    • Overview of the Directorate
    • Student Services Policies
    • Institutional & Campus SRCs
    • Student Societies
    • Student Health and Wellbeing
      • Sport & Fitness
      • Campus Clinics
      • Student Counselling Unit
    • Student Accommodation
    • Quick Links
    • Campus Life
      • Campus SRCs
  • Campuses
    • Buffalo City
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Business Sciences
        • Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology
    • Butterworth
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Education
        • Faculty of Engineering and Technology
        • Faculty of Management Sciences
    • Mthatha
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Natural Sciences
        • Faculty of Humanities, Social Science & Law
        • Faculty of Educational Sciences
        • Faculty of Commerce & Administration
        • Faculty of Health Sciences
    • Komani
      • Overview
      • Management Committee
      • Faculties
        • Faculty of Education & School Development
        • Faculty of Economics & Information Systems Technology
  • Media
    • Current News
    • Media Releases
    • Media Resources
    • Speeches
    • Newsletters
    • Gallery
    • login