The social challenges that contribute towards non-completion within institutions of higher learning in Lesotho

Abstract

Higher learning dropout has predominantly been identified as one of the major problems that the higher learning systems face almost every year. Multiple analytical factors point out the complexity of dropout phenomena in higher learning Institutions. These occurrences prompted the researcher to conduct a study that explores a range of hardships that students face, specifically the social challenges that mostly make it rigid for them to continue learning at higher learning institutions in Lesotho.

The study adopted a qualitative approach through an interpretive research paradigm and a narrative research design. Sixteen students and four staff members who were purposively selected from two colleges and two Universities in Lesotho. It employed the structured interviews to collect data. The data were analysed through the thematic analysis. The findings revealed the holistic support provided to students have proved to bring about improved student’s academic accomplishment and retention. Students who are aware of the social challenges are more likely to be resilient if equipped with required skills. This enables students to gain more control over their learning and increases their likelihoods of success. Secondly, familiarity form a centre that informs lecturers towards reflecting on the approaches that will facilitate student learning and enhance the influence of positive factors. The study recommends that lecturers need to be well trained to provide students with psychosocial support and also be able to identify individual psychological needs. The higher learning institutions also need to have a proper channels of referral for students who needs further support.

Nievoltooiing by hoër onderwys is oorwegend geïdentifiseer as een van die grootste probleme wat hoëronderwysstelsels byna elke jaar in die gesig staar. Veelvuldige analitiese faktore wys op die kompleksiteit van die uitvalverskynsel binne hoëronderwysinstellings. Hierdie voorkomste het die navorser aangespoor om ’n studie te onderneem wat ’n reeks uitdagings wat studente in die gesig staar te ondersoek, spesifiek die sosiale uitdagings wat dit meestal moeilik maak om voort te gaan met opleiding aan hoëronderwysinstellings in Lesotho. In hierdie studie is ’n kwalitatiewe benadering gevolg deur ’n interpretatiewe navorsingsparadigma en ’n narratiewe navorsingsontwerp. Sestien studente en vier personeellede is doelbewus uit twee kolleges en twee universiteite in Lesotho gekies. Gestruktureerde onderhoude is gebruik om data in te samel en die data is deur middel van ’n tematiese analise ontleed. Die bevindinge het getoon dat holistiese ondersteuning aan studente ’n positiewe invloed het op hul akademiese prestasie en behoud. Studente wat bewus is van die sosiale uitdagings is meer geneig om veerkragtig te wees indien hulle met die nodige vaardighede toegerus word. Dit stel studente in staat om meer beheer oor hul geleerdheid te verkry en verhoog hul kanse op sukses. Tweedens vorm gemeensaamheid ’n kernpunt wat dosente inlig om te reflekteer oor benaderings wat studenteleer kan fasiliteer en die invloed van positiewe faktore kan versterk. Die studie beveel aan dat dosente goed opgelei moet wees om aan studente psigososiale ondersteuning te bied en ook om in staat te wees om individuele sielkundige behoeftes te kan identifiseer. Hoëronderwysinstellings moet ook oor toepaslike verwysingskanale beskik vir studente wat verdere ondersteuning benodig.

Ho tlohela thuto e phahameng ho tsejwa e le bo bong ba mathata a maholo ao tsamaiso ya thuto e phahameng e tobanang le ona selemo se seng le se seng. Dintlha tse ngata tsa tlhahlobo di supa ho rarahana ha diketsahalo tsa ho tlohela sekolo ditsing tsa thuto e phahameng. Diketsahalo tsena di ile tsa susumetsa mofuputsi ho etsa diphuputso tse hlahlobang mathata a mangata ao baithuti ba tobanang le ona, haholoholo mathata a setjhaba a etsang hore ho be thata hore ba tswele pele ho ithuta ditsing tsa thuto e phahameng Lesotho. Diphuputso tsena di ile tsa sebedisa mokgwa wa boleng ka mokgwa wa ho hlalosa dipatlisiso le mokgwa wa ho etsa dipatlisiso. Baithuti ba leshome le metso e tsheletseng le basebetsi ba bane ba ile ba kgethwa ho tswa dikolong tse pedi le diyunivesithing tse pedi tsa Lesotho. Diphuputso di ile tsa sebedisa dipuisano tse hlophisitsweng ho bokella boitsebiso. Dintlha di ile tsa hlahlojwa ka ho hlahloba taba ka ho latellana. Diphuputso di bontshitse hore tshehetso e akaretsang e fuwang baithuti e ipakile e tlisa ntlafatso ya katleho ya baithuti le ho di boloka. Baithuti ba tsebang mathata a setjhaba ba ka kgona ho mamella ha ba na le tsebo e hlokahalang. Sena se nolofaletsa baithuti hore ba be le taolo e eketsehileng hodima ho ithuta ha bona, ba tsebe ho eketsa menyetla ya bona ya ho ka atleha. Ntlha ya bobedi, ho tlwaelana ho theha setsi se tsebisang barupelli hore ba nahane ka mekgwa e tla nolofaletsa baithuti ho ithuta le ho matlafatsa tshusumetso ya dintlha tse molemo. Diphuputso di kgothaletsa hore barupelli ba fuwe thupello e matla ya ho fana ka tshehetso ho baithuti le ho tseba ho kgetholla ditlhoko tsa ho ithuta tsa motho ka mong. Ditsi tsa thuto e phahameng di boetse di hloka ho ba le ditsela tse loketseng tsa ho eletsa baithuti ba hlokang tshehetso e eketsehileng.

Ukuyeka ukufunda ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme kubonakale ikakhulukazi njengenye yezinkinga ezinkulu izinhlelo zokufunda eziphakeme ezibhekana nazo cishe minyaka yonke. Izinto eziningi zokuhlaziya zikhomba ubunkimbinkimbi bezigameko zokuyeka ukufunda ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme. Lezi zigameko zenze umcwaningi enze ucwaningo oluhlola ubunzima obuhlukahlukene abafundi ababhekana nabo, ikakhulukazi izinselelo zezenhlalo ezenza kube nzima ukuthi baqhubeke nokufunda ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme eLesotho. Ucwaningo lwamukele indlela yekhwalithethivu ngokusebenzisa ipharadayimi yocwaningo olutolikayo kanye nomklamo wocwaningo olulandisayo. Abafundi abayishumi nesithupha kanye nabasebenzi abane abakhethwe ngamabomu emakolishi amabili namaNyuvesi amabili eLesotho. Isebenzise izingxoxo ezihlelekile ukuze iqoqe idatha. Idatha yahlaziywa ngokuhlaziywa kwengqikithi. Imiphumela iveze ukuthi ukwesekwa okuphelele okuhlinzekwa abafundi kufakazele ukuletha ngcono ukuphumelela nokugcinwa kwabafundi ezifundweni zabo. Abafundi abazaziyo izinselele zenhlalo maningi amathuba okuthi bakwazi ukumelana nezimo uma behlonyiswe ngamakhono adingekayo. Lokhu kwenza abafundi bakwazi ukulawula ukufunda kwabo futhi kwandise amathuba abo okuphumelela. Okwesibili, ukujwayelana kwakha isikhungo esazisa abafundisi ngokuzindla ngezindlela ezizosiza ukufunda kwabafundi futhi zithuthukise umthelela wezinto ezinhle. Lolu cwaningo luncoma ukuthi abafundisi kumele baqeqeshwe kahle ukuze banikeze abafundi ukwesekwa ngokwengqondo futhi bakwazi nokuhlonza izidingo zomuntu ngamunye ezingokwengqondo. Izikhungo zemfundo ephakeme nazo kumele zibe nemigudu efanele yokudlulisela abafundi abadinga ukwesekwa okwengeziwe.