Exploring students’ experiences with their studies amidst the current load shedding problem

Objective: South Africa’s ongoing electricity shortages, manifested through load shedding, continue to disrupt multiple sectors, including higher education. While much attention has been given to the economic effects of energy instability, less is known about the academic implications for university students. This study explored students’ lived experiences of studying amidst load shedding, with a focus on academic responsibilities, students experiences with load shedding and the coping strategies they use to mitigate the impact of load shedding. Method: A qualitative research design, guided by an interpretivist paradigm, was employed. Six focus group discussions were conducted with 30 (N = 30) full-time university students, and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Findings revealed six interrelated themes: the unpredictability of outages, unequal access to alternative power sources, academic interruption, compromised mental wellbeing, disrupted social functioning, and diverse coping strategies. Interpreted using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the results demonstrate that load shedding constrains students across all levels of human need from physiological and safety needs to esteem and self-actualization thereby undermining both educational performance and psychosocial wellbeing. Findings showed that load shedding disrupts learning, compromises wellbeing, and limits social engagement. Conclusion: While students displayed resilience through adaptive strategies, these were insufficient to offset systemic deficiencies. The study concludes that load shedding represents a significant barrier to equitable academic engagement and personal development. Recommendations include investment in institutional resilience measures, provision of mental health support, and policy advocacy to secure a more stable electricity supply in higher education contexts. Load shedding exerts multifaceted academic and psychosocial impacts as reported from students’ personal experiences. Universities should consider, including flexible teaching methods, and accessible alternative resources.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Pretoria

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Sonja, Mostert

• UCTD
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Loadshedding
• Student experience
• E-learning
• Eskom
• Electricity

Statement dc:rights

• © 2024 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

10.25403/UPresearchdata.31016905

Dc Identifier Other

April 2026

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/107428