Tertiary students decry loadshedding

Kgomotso Molelekeng | Friday March 21, 2014 15:03

 

With only a few weeks before the semester ends, many university students are left wondering whether if they will fare any better in their examinations having not prepared in advance.

Already the negative telltale effects of the acute loadshedding episodes leavse students without confidence in their own studies.   

Calvin Matsaba, an on campus fourth year Geology student at the University of Botswana (UB) told Mmegi that ever since the power cuts hit the country, his grades have taken a dive.

“I always make sure that I get ready for my exams and tests in advance as I do not like last minute preparations.  But ever since the power cuts started my preparations have slowed down. 

My school work is suffering and my grades are really depressing me,” he said.

Matsaba explained that he fails to study during the day as he has classes to attend more so as a fourth year student, his workload has increased, as there are projects he has to finish.

He said: “One would expect a big institution like UB to have back up generators for the power cuts, but during blackouts, we are told to leave the library as there is no generator.”

He added that when they leave they go to their rooms where they are greeted by the darkness. 

The only solution they are left with is to sleep, which will lead to poor academic results, he said.

Another affected student is Masego Bontle who is in her first year of study at UB for a degree in Finance.  Bontle said she is very much aware of the fail and discontinue that is popular with UB students and as a result she does not want to be one of the statistics.

“As a first year student I have to produce good grades so that I maintain a certain level.

I have to set the bar high so that if I fail it won’t be dismally.

 I want A’s and above so with these recent power cuts I cannot study well because I have to do it quickly incase electricity goes off. 

This is stressful as I quickly rush through my work without proper understanding,” she said.

Botswana Accountancy College (BAC) students are also feeling the pinch of the blackouts. Pono Keakile who is studying International Business Management told Mmegi that the government should solve the issue of loadshedding fast. 

She said as the youth they are the future of the country and if they fail their courses this only means that tomorrow’s leaders will not be well educated.

“No electricity means no studying and this leads to failure.  I for one do not want to fail, but if the power cuts continue I am likely to fail because during the day we attend classes and the only time suitable for studying is at night.  This is the time when power gets cut off,” she said.

Keakile added that even if they try studying during the day, it is of no use, as sometimes the power will not be there.  This could mean there will not be any internet use, which is also bad. She said the fact that the school does not have a back up generator is depressing as student work suffers the most.

“Not only do students feel the pinch of power cuts but the whole school suffers as work has to stop and at times lecturers get inconvenienced as they prepare their materials with projectors.  So it is a problem that affects all of us,” she said.

Limkokwing University of Creative Technology students on the other hand said they only find comfort in the fact that their courses are mostly practical. 

They do not require the use of electricity most times.  Second year fashion and fabric student Goitse Molomo said she is not much affected by the recent power cuts, as she is able to finish her designs with or without electricity.

“Although blackouts are bad, I feel students should not use it as an excuse to fail but rather use it as an opportunity to find ways of studying without it.  I am blessed because the course I am doing does not require using electricity, but the government should fix this problem as soon as possible because sometimes learning is disturbed because of this,” she said.

While Molomo may not be affected, Thabo Moalo told Mmegi that the situation is having an adverse effect on productivity in the school.

He said they could not do anything without power.

“Our school work suffers, lecturers lose momentum and everything goes wrong. 

We cannot even study and prepare for exams at night as power also goes off at night.  A solution has to be found soon before things get out of hand. 

Electricity has become one of the basic needs over the years and as the future it is only fair that we pass our studies and this means having electricity to study,” he said.  Attempts to reach officials at these tertiary institutions were unsuccessful as Mmegi was told that they were busy and should leave a message.