A study conducted by Uganda Youth Development Link, a non-profit organisation, has revealed suicide being one of the leading causes of death among adolescents aged between 15 and 19.
The survey also indicated a hike in suicide attempts among participants with moderate psychological distress and substance abuse.
In a bid to reinstate the mental health of learners, the senior education officer under counselling and guidance at the Ministry of Education, Mr Saidi Nsamba, called upon stakeholders to address mental health at all levels.
He said: “Mental health is not about women, boys, or girls but a collective responsibility and duty of everyone to identify and assess the learners or staff for any mental health disorders and also respond to them”.
While making remarks during the national selection process for Senior One, Mr Nsamba said focus should be on building the capacity of teachers in institutions to identify mental health challenges.
“Schools, especially through their senior women teachers, should have the capacity to address and liaise with other institutions to explain the mental health concerns,” he noted.
Mr Nsamba also urged the media to give the issues around mental health adequate publicity to enable every individual identify and assess the learners.
He encouraged all stakeholders to discourage stigma around it.
“Schools should resort to professional support for those having mental issues in order to [ensure] effective teaching and learning processes,” he said.
According to the career and guidance head at Kiira College, Butiki, Mr Enoch Arubu Lakujo, today’s generation is dealing with social challenges and are easily identified through mentorship programmes.
“We have students that deal with emotional challenges who tend to disengage with others and their studies. However, we have put in place programmes where they get to speak out often about the issues affecting them to house teachers,” he said.
Mr Lakujo also added that the school has a student body which is vigilant in giving out information among learners who need support.
Ms Gladys Katiti of Careers office at Wanyange Girls School, Jinja, said the school administration has maximised counselling among its learners.
“We have engaged our learners in busy school activities such as career guidance, social guidance and counselling which is done both internally and by external facilitators,” Ms Katiti said.
