An explorative evaluation of food insecurity at higher education institutions: the case of first-year students at the University of the Free State

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess and measure the extent of food insecurity at higher education institutions, specifically amongst first-year students at the University of the Free State in South Africa. To be able to excel academically, students need to be healthy and without major stressors, but the reality is that many South African students face a daily struggle to manage hunger. Higher education students from under-resourced areas often face the dilemma of having to make a choice between using their money to pay for transport to the university campus or to buy something to eat. The study aimed to explore the current situation regarding food insecurity amongst first-year students at the UFS, and based on these findings, possible solutions could be suggested to the challenges experienced by students facing food insecurity in South African higher education institutions and specifically at the University of the Free State. The research findings provide a general picture of the state of students’ food security status from gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic perspectives. Furthermore, the study provides baseline information from which UFS management, student affairs, and practitioners can assist students in need and contribute to the existing support structures. A non-experimental, quantitative, cross-sectional design was adopted to obtain and analyse the data. A sample of 269 first-year students was obtained via Blackboard, with all first-year students having been granted the opportunity to complete the questionnaire in this way. Furthermore, data were also obtained through the distribution of a hard-copy survey. The questionnaire used a five-point Likert-type scale and was administered, using EvaSys, an automated survey software system. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the data exported from EvaSys.