Engendering a Sense of Belonging to Support Student Well-Being during COVID-19: A Focus on Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 4

Sylvan Blignaut, Gary Pheiffer, Lesley Le Grange, Suriamurthee Maistry, Labby Ramrathan, Shan Simmonds and Anja Visser
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Sylvan Blignaut: Department of Postgraduate Studies, Faculty of Education, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha 6019, South Africa
Gary Pheiffer: Hertfordshire Business School, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9EU, UK
Lesley Le Grange: Department of Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Education, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
Suriamurthee Maistry: Social Sciences Education, School of Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa
Labby Ramrathan: Teacher Development Studies, School of Education, Education Studies Cluster, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa
Shan Simmonds: Education and Human Rights in Diversity Research, Faculty of Education, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
Anja Visser: Education and Human Rights in Diversity Research, Faculty of Education, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 23, 1-14

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed a plethora of inequalities in South Africa. These inequalities have had a direct impact on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 3 (good health and well-being) and SDG 4 (quality education) were the focus of this article. This article investigated how students enrolled at a South African residential university perceived the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their well-being, their success in completing their studies and their future career prospects. A quantitative survey research design was followed. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire from 537 students in a South African university. Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 27 was used to analyze the data. The results indicated direct influences on student well-being from concerns that arose from COVID-19 about future job concerns, degree completion, social support and belonging. The relationship between concerns about degree completion was moderated by a sense of belonging (social identification) but not by social support. The study has significant implications for how higher education institution governors and academics might consider reconceptualizing notions of student support, beyond the narrow, technical and basic curriculum support for degree completion, towards the affective and social as it relates to creating conditions for students to identify with and experience a profound sense of belonging.

Keywords: belonging; COVID-19; quality education; South Africa; university students; well-being (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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