Student challenges and experiences have evolved since the 21st century. These experiences and challenges have drastically changed during and after the sudden rise of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Most schools, including higher education institutions, experienced a rapid transition from the normal face-to-face mode of content delivery to the blended approach and online learning approach. The change in the academic landscape became a “one size fits all” approach, without considering access to the ICT resource as well as the ability to use the resources. In addition, the transition enforced the dependency on the online space, which became the “new normal”. The complete digitalization of the teaching and learning activities paid little attention to the challenges that students can face and their impact. This study seeks clarity on the student challenges and experiences after the COVID-19 Pandemic as they advanced to the higher education space. The work presents an analysis of various student challenges through the lens of Activity Theory (AT). AT, as a theory, explains the student actions as goal-oriented, which are mediated by different tools that are shaped by the different environments.

Within the qualitative interpretive approach, the selective sampling was used to select students from the Higher Education Institution in South Africa. The study focuses particularly on students who are knowledgeable about the phenomenon, completed matric (grade 12) during the pandemic, and are currently registered in their last year of undergraduate studies. Data collected from this work was analysed using thematic analysis and further interpreted using the AT. Results revealed that students who studied during the COVID-19 pandemic had different experiences. The challenges students experienced ranged from a lack of Information and Communication resources, minimal literacy skills, a lack of support, emotional support, as well as minimal group interactions. The study further concluded with the remarks.

Keywords: Access to ICT resources, computer literacy, ICT resources, online learning, Post COVID-19 Pandemic, student challenges, student experiences.