Availability and impact of student support services on student wellbeing and learning in Ethiopian colleges of teacher education

This study aimed to explore student support services and their effects on students’ well-being and learning at colleges of teacher education. A qualitative research approach was used to understand the views and experiences of participants in these support services and their impact on students’ learning. The study followed a descriptive case study design. Three sample colleges were taken from different regions of Ethiopia. Participants included twenty students, six college deans or vice deans, and two senior experts from regional education bureaus. The participants were recruited through purposive sampling because students are direct users of the support services, and college deans and senior experts facilitate these services. Data were collected from students via focus group discussions and from deans and senior experts using semi-structured interviews. Documents such as education policies, regulations, plans, and reports were reviewed. Data from interviews and focus groups were systematically transcribed and read multiple times to identify key concepts. These transcriptions were coded and organized into themes to report findings. The main findings indicated that support services were often unavailable for students in two colleges, except for insufficient pocket money, while one college offered sufficient support services. It was concluded that support services had significant impacts on students’ physical well-being, educational engagement, and overall ability to succeed. Addressing these issues requires strengthening existing facilities and infrastructure, involving stakeholders, increasing the amount of pocket money, developing national policy frameworks to standardize support services across colleges, and planning adequate budgets for these services.