Load shedding, the deliberate and controlled interruption of electricity supply to specific areas, has become a common occurrence in South Africa. The state-owned power utility, Eskom, has been struggling to keep up with the country’s electricity demands due to aging infrastructure, mismanagement, and corruption. Load shedding has severe negative impacts on many aspects of people’s lives, including learners. This article will explore what is the negative impact of load shedding in the lives of learners.
Eskom’s Role in Load Shedding
Eskom, South Africa’s largest electricity provider, has been struggling to meet the country’s energy needs for several years. Due to inadequate maintenance and investment in new infrastructure, Eskom loses momentum in providing a consistent supply of electricity to its consumers. The result has been frequent power outages, referred to as load shedding. Eskom implements load shedding as a way of balancing the supply and demand of electricity. The implementation of load shedding has a profound impact on several aspects of people’s lives, including learners.
Negative Impact of Load Shedding on Learners
1. Disrupted Learning
Load shedding has a direct negative impact on learners’ education, as it causes power outages in schools and universities. Schools and universities heavily depend on electricity for essential services such as lighting, computer labs, and smart boards. Load shedding disrupts learning by causing power outages, which can last for hours, depending on the stage of load shedding. As a result, learners lose valuable classroom time and have to catch up on missed lessons.
2. Limited Access to Online Learning Resources
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced schools and universities to switch to online learning to prevent the spread of the virus. However, load shedding has made it difficult for learners to access online learning resources. With power outages, learners are unable to connect to the internet and access online learning platforms, which have become critical during the pandemic.
3. Poor Health and Safety Conditions
Load shedding has a negative impact on learners’ health and safety conditions. Power outages result in poor lighting conditions, making it difficult for learners to navigate their way around school premises. Additionally, schools and universities depend on electricity to power essential equipment such as fire alarms, emergency lights, and security cameras. In the absence of electricity, the safety and security of learners are compromised.
4. Negative Psychological Impact
Load shedding has a negative psychological impact on learners. Frequent power outages cause stress and anxiety, as learners become uncertain about their ability to complete their studies. The disruption of learning also has a demotivating effect on learners, as they feel frustrated and hopeless about their education.
Conclusion
Load shedding has a severe negative impact on learners, as it disrupts their learning, limits access to online learning resources, compromises their health and safety, and has a negative psychological impact. Eskom’s failure to provide a consistent supply of electricity is a significant contributor to load shedding, and the utility needs to invest in new infrastructure and improve maintenance to prevent power outages. The government also needs to explore alternative sources of energy to diversify the country’s energy mix and reduce dependence on Eskom. It is essential to ensure that learners have access to uninterrupted electricity to facilitate their learning and improve their educational outcomes.