THE RELEVANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH IN SCHOOLS

AFTER what has been almost two months since they closed for the festive holiday season, schools are almost ready, set and scheduled for reopening this week. The restart of the academic year is a time of year that is often buzzing and is usually punctuated by the excitement of young people who not only rejoice in looking forward to seeing the familiar faces of their mates at school again, but also experience the sheer enthusiasm to get back to the hustle and bustle nature of their academics. It is also quite a feast for stress for parents and guardians as well, who after paying out their hard-earned monies towards school fees, also need to further prepare and ready their children for their return to school while ensuring that all their basic needs are adequately met. Fair to say, it is a pretty busy end to a very busy month, which is expected to get busier as the term continues to unravel.
Even in schools or the playground, the issue of mental health is still very much relevant and is one that we continue to vouch for, in hopes that the message will eventually become one that has a lasting impression.

Influence

One classroom alone is a hive of psychological activity that is interpreted differently by children of different backgrounds; this therefore, (sort of) places into perspective the very vast influence on each child’s mental health that the school as a whole has on the formation of their being. Taking into consideration the amount of time (in hours) that our children spend at school with their peers, only strengthens the argument supports the fact and highlights the importance of a school environment that is relatively conducive to nurture a young mind that is still in the process of learning and developing itself as a person. Personally, I feel the main challenge lies in the extent of variation and differences in backgrounds that you find at an institution such as a school. This is basically, the source of difference in the personalities present and therefore, it quickly becomes about how soon the exchange in influences, behavioural patterns and habits will happen; because it is only a matter of time.

This is even more prevalent as you go up the classes towards high school and that is an even steeper challenge for the teachers, parents and guardians involved. Issues like bullying, name calling and making inappropriate jokes about one’s academic failure are quite high on the list in lower grades, and can be easier dealt with if noticed early. Nowadays, new problems veer into the territory of violence where more serious issues like gangsterism start to show their head; adding to an already complex mix of psychological ‘warfare’ that a child may be exposed to.

It is a cumbersome lot to deal with from the perspective of the parents, guardians and teachers, especially those who have to constantly and consistently have to nurse these young minds while concurrently teaching them how to be adults. Therefore, it seems it takes a collective and collaborative effort between all three (parents, guardians and teachers) bodies to achieve this; and as our schools reopen for a new term, may we be steadily conscious of any reports involving the school or the any happenings on the playground we may get from our young ones and also remember to always consider these as indications of the child’s happiness or unhappiness about something at their school. This goes for our teenagers as well and any foul behaviours they may be developing. It is vital to keep an eagle on them as well, as we start of the new academic year. Send comments to: runsford0505@gmail.com

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