Experiences of students facing financial difficulties to access higher Education in the case of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
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Date
2018
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Abstract
Students from disadvantaged backgrounds experience difficulties when making a transition from
their backgrounds into a challenging and diverse multi-cultural education institutions
environment. Due to their disadvantaged backgrounds these students are faced with enormous
financial challenges that have adverse impacts on their academic performance. They therefore
need solid support structures to help them make adjustments to meet the demands of higher
education. This study explored experiences of students facing financial difficulties to access
Higher Education in the case of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Using a qualitative approach
in collecting data, the study tried to find out the experiences of students and effects of financial
problems on academic performance. Economic, ecosystems and social justice framework
provided the theoretical underpinning for the study. Economic theory helped the researcher to
find out students’ experiences and how they cope. Ecosystems theory helped the researcher to
look and understand interaction between individuals and society as a whole because financial
difficulties to access Higher education is a social issue that affect individuals, families and
societies. Social justice focuses on policy, national and institutional efforts in eliminating the
identified financial problems faced by disadvantaged students at tertiary institutions.
The tool that was used to collect data were semi-structured interviews which were orally
questioning participants to express their views and beliefs of the impacts of financial difficulties
in accessing higher education. This enabled the researcher to use an interpretivist paradigm
which is qualitative in approach. Qualitative approach provided a descriptive and detailed data
about the researched phenomenon. In-depth interviews were done with 15 participants at the
University of KwaZulu-Natal (Howard, Westville and PMB campus). Results of the study show
that due to financial problems, the students encounter problems such as inability to cope with the
high standards of studying as well as difficulty in paying fees and accessing basic needs. Data
gathered from the interviews insinuates that financial problems have adverse effects on students’
academic performance, but contrary to the study’s assumptions, and review of secondary data, no
correlation could be found between financial need and poor academic performance or outright
failure.
Description
Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.