Dear students
When we embarked on online learning at the University of Cape Town (UCT), we knew it would not be an easy transition. Many of you are handling the new way of working, while some of you are not coping very well with the challenges you face. This is to be expected, especially considering the vastly different socio-economic conditions under which students are learning. So I want to thank you for doing the best you can under these difficult circumstances.
I want you to know that we have seen the resilience, perseverance and determination many of you have demonstrated, along with all the hard work you have put in, driven by the shared commitment to completing the academic year.
You are defying the odds, and we are very proud of you. If you are struggling, keep in mind that making the effort is half the battle won. We want to walk this journey with you as much as possible, so we want you to know about the types of student support available to each of you, even during the lockdown, through the Student Wellness Service (SWS) and the Office for Inclusivity and Change (OIC).
Peer Counselling
Dynamic peer counsellors in the SWS provide support to students (in English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans) through four focus areas:
Counselling: Telephonic or online counselling sessions are booked online, via email or through the UCT App. Common topics include academic concerns, relationship or family issues, adjustment difficulties, coping with anxiety or depression, and substance abuse.
Health and wellness: Peer counsellors focus on the maintenance and promotion of overall physical health and wellness, by offering education and awareness in collaboration with a medical team of nurses and doctors. Peer counsellors encourage students to have a balance between physical health, mental health and academic demands.
Socio-emotional adjustment: Adjusting to UCT was challenging, even before COVID-19 was added to the mix. Peer counsellors help students adjust to the new normal.
Academic support: Students often struggle with transitioning or adjusting to a new environment, and this can interfere with their academic progress. So peer counselling offers coping skills as well as helpful resources and information.
More information is available via these channels:
Survivor support
To continue supporting survivors of sexual assault, the OIC is running a weekly, online Survivor Support Group every Tuesday evening from 17:30 to 19:30. These groups will continue virtually until all staff and students have returned to campus.
Adjusting to this unusual period is taking a massive effort by all students and staff members. While we remain far apart from each other physically, we are still a campus community. The UCT executive is committed to continuing to support you as much as possible.
Stay safe and take care of yourselves and others by practising social distancing.
Sincerely
Professor Loretta Feris
Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Transformation
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COVID-19 is a global pandemic that caused President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a national disaster in South Africa on 15 March 2020 and to implement a national lockdown from 26 March 2020. UCT is taking the threat of infection in our university community extremely seriously, and this page will be updated with the latest COVID-19 information. Please note that the information on this page is subject to change depending on current lockdown regulations.
Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, has in June 2022 repealed some of South Africa’s remaining COVID-19 regulations: namely, sections 16A, 16B and 16C of the Regulations Relating to the Surveillance and the Control of Notifiable Medical Conditions under the National Health Act. We are now no longer required to wear masks or limit gatherings. Venue restrictions and checks for travellers coming into South Africa have now also been removed.
On Wednesday, 20 July, staff from the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Faculty of Health Sciences came together with representatives from the Western Cape Government at the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre at Forest Hill Residence to acknowledge the centre’s significance in the fight against COVID-19 and to thank its staff for their contributions. The centre opened on 1 September 2021 with the aim of providing quality vaccination services to UCT staff, students and the nearby communities, as well as to create an opportunity for medical students from the Faculty of Health Sciences to gain practical public health skills. The vaccination centre ceased operations on Friday, 29 July 2022.
With the closure of the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, if you still require access to a COVID-19 vaccination site please visit the CovidComms SA website to find an alternative.
“After almost a year of operation, the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, located at the Forest Hill residence complex in Mowbray, will close on Friday, 29 July 2022. I am extremely grateful and proud of all staff, students and everyone involved in this important project.”
– Vice-Chancellor Prof Mamokgethi PhakengWith the closure of the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, if you still require access to a COVID-19 vaccination site please visit the CovidComms SA website to find an alternative.
UCT’s Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM) collaborated with Global Citizen, speaking to trusted experts to dispel vaccine misinformation.
If you have further questions about the COVID-19 vaccine check out the FAQ produced by the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation (DTHF). The DTHF has developed a dedicated chat function where you can ask your vaccine-related questions on the bottom right hand corner of the website.
IDM YouTube channel | IDM website
“As a contact university, we look forward to readjusting our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in 2023 as the COVID-19 regulations have been repealed.”
– Prof Harsha Kathard, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning
We are continuing to monitor the situation and we will be updating the UCT community regularly – as and when there are further updates. If you are concerned or need more information, students can contact the Student Wellness Service on 021 650 5620 or 021 650 1271 (after hours), while staff can contact 021 650 5685.