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Latwell Nyangu Youth Interactive Writer
The agony of a poor student is real and can be heartbreaking.
No one, whether wealthy or not, chooses whose family they will be born into. Unfortunately, a lot of people are born into families that depend on God’s mercy and grace to get by.
On the plus side, some brilliant people come from these households, while others choose to sink.
For the fortunate, well-wishers come in handy and take care of everything; for the unfortunate, they navigate hardship and attend college for a shorter period of time before being sent home to seek tuition.
Sometimes they go hungry because their poor parents can’t afford food. Some may resort to forced fasting or seek labour just to make ends meet.
I normally joke with my folks, mauya madya here because munotidonhera (Have you eaten otherwise you will die).
These are some of the situations we face as colleagues and joking about it lessens the burden.
One moment I wrote a story of a student genius who used to walk to and from town to UZ as a way to balance his transport fare since he stayed in Chitungwiza.
He is not the only one, but there are many living under worse circumstances. Fortunately he opened up on his plight while some remain quiet not by choice but in fear of being laughed at.
Many students are spending their days without eating anything, some have a challenge with dress codes, and worse still there are no uniforms at college.
You will at times think, why don” t the universities use uniforms because what to wear can be something daunting for students.
Yes, the roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.
To my observation, I have noticed that some fellow students come to college looking tired, frail, hungry, angry and confused.
At times, they end up not even meeting deadlines for their course works, failure to attend lectures every time which can leave the lecturers worried.
But it takes the lecturers to understand since at times the burden is too much.
Growing up in poverty can also dampen the development of empathy due to a range of stresses, including stress on parents.
Upon joining an institution of higher learning, every student has ambitions to achieve. Helping his or her family from the burdens of abject poverty, being a role model, and helping others who have walked through the same path. However, as the day goes by, the poor child cannot help themselves to live in a society where people are living in two different worlds.
Behind their brilliant results lies the untold story of suffering and abject poverty.
Sadly, in some communities, nobody cares for them, whether you have been brought to school in your parents’ posh car or on a bicycle.
The irony is, at the end the whole village expects you to perform.
Fellow students, I am not here to mock anyone but being at college while poor is torture on its own but we really have to fight despite our backgrounds.
As usual, I write what I see but the dilemmas which poor students face are heartbreaking.
When you join college or campus, it then dawns on your doubting Thomas that you had potential and there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Fortunately for those who get government scholarships, they relieve their parents. Those who do not get sponsorship, are forced to hold their hopes and dreams sealed indefinitely unless a well-wisher surfaces.
I will not define poverty in detail, but it is a complex issue that cannot be solely defined as either subjective or objective. It encompasses both the material deprivation experienced by individuals or communities and their perceptions and experiences of poverty.
Poor students may also feel isolated, as they can’t afford to participate in activities or socialize with their peers. All of these factors can be emotionally devastating and leave poor students feeling like they are in a self-prison.
Students raised in poverty are indeed more apt to experience emotional and social challenges, mental health issues, chronic stressors in their everyday life, and cognitive lags due to significant changes in their brain structure in areas related to memory and emotion.
Poverty has a significant impact on student’s ability to succeed in college.
The sad part is, students living in poverty often lack access to resources that can help them succeed, such as adequate nutrition, quality health care, and a safe and secure learning environment.
They may also lack access to a stable and supportive home life, which is essential for a successful academic career.
Additionally, students living in poverty often attend college with fewer resources, which can impede their ability to gain the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in their academic journey. The combination of these factors can lead to lower grades, higher dropout rates, and a lack of motivation to pursue higher education.
Poverty has become one of the most prevalent indicators of academic achievement in colleges today.
As the number of students raised in poverty increases, it is vitally important that educators be aware of the effects of poverty on student behaviour and learning capacity in the classroom. Educators must incorporate proven strategies in order to help close the gap in academic achievement between those raised in poverty and those raised in more affluent homes.
It is commonly known that characteristics of a child’s health, home life, schooling, and neighbourhood contribute to their level of preparedness for learning.
Frequently, the parents of these kids are unsupportive as well.
Unfortunately, the income disparity between students has grown over the previous ten years.
One of the main areas where family incomes have an impact is educational outcomes. According to assessments of preparedness, children from low-income homes frequently begin academic learning behind their counterparts who are from more affluent families. Along with neighbourhood factors and social networks, poverty’s occurrence, depth, duration, and timeliness, all have an impact on a child’s educational success.
Even in wealthy nations, poverty persists as an unavoidable reality of life, and students’ poverty in particular has long been of concern.
There are many obstacles that low-income students must overcome in order to succeed in college.
May God’s grace keep the poor student.
Online Reporter