COVID-19 Pandemic and Institutional Management at the Higher Learning Institution in Gauteng Province

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected institutional management at higher learning institutions in
South Africa, including Gauteng province. Institutional managers were challenged to think
strategically to maintain sound functionality. In the South African institutional context, restrictive
measures of level 5 lockdown forced higher learning institutions to adopt online learning without
proper preparation impacting on quality of institutional management, undertaking research, and
learning and teaching. ‘Uberfication’ of the university in learning and teaching affected social
interactions which is a hallmark of academic freedom through knowledge sharing and debates for
intellectual stimulation. Unintended consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic called for new
institutional management approaches at higher learning institutions in the Gauteng province to
maintain the stability of effective administration and management for students’ academic success. A
qualitative study using a case study design was undertaken to analyze how departmental managers
performed their administrative duties to safeguard teaching and learning during the Covid-19 pandemic
in a higher learning institution in the Gauteng Province. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze
findings and recommend solutions for effective institutional management in higher learning to prepare
for crises similar to the Covid-19 pandemic. The study contributes to institutional management
approaches during social crises.