Agonies Presented to Students and their Pedagogues in Institutions of Higher Learning due to Load Shedding: Eclectic Contexts

Abstract

Axiomatically, in this era of irregular power outages, a fundamental change in the method of delivering lectures, whether online learning, distance learning, or continuing education has emerged as a universal remedy. Researchers have put to the fore that load shedding has adverse effects on the mental health of students and lecturers. This is a literature review investigative analysis which endeavoured to elucidate the detrimental effects on mental health and well-being caused by power outages to students and their educators. The article utilised variegated literature from various research engines such as Ebscohost, Google Scholar, Research Gate, etc. The study concurred with the legal decision that power outages contravene the South African Constitution, with this transgression causing socio-psychological repercussions. The study concluded that the upcoming government elections give a chance for change to the energy parastatal behemoth, ESKOM. The paper recommends, as a ploy to ease agonies imposed by load-shedding, the implementation of various coping strategies, including maladaptive coping strategies, resolution coping strategies, and the application of the circumplex model coping. The study discusses the impact of load shedding on South Africans’ mental health including involvement of psychosocial factors. It offers a detailed examination of the mental health implications of load shedding. Keywords: Mental Health, Load Shedding, Pedagogies, Missing Classes, Academic Performance