Lawmakers push for mental health awareness in schools

The Senate has urged the Federal Government to incorporate mental health education into Nigeria’s national academic curriculum, citing the urgent need to address the rising psychological and emotional challenges affecting students and educators nationwide.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, made the call on Monday at a mental health programme organised by the Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative (MHEI) in Abuja.

Delivering her keynote address, Senator Banigo, who also serves as Grand Patron of MHEI and the Association of Mental Health Reform Organisations in Africa (AMHROA), emphasised the critical connection between mental well-being, discipline, and academic performance.

“Education is more than the pursuit of grades; it is the shaping of character, values, and vision. Yet, we cannot expect excellence from a mind burdened by anxiety, depression, fear, or hopelessness,” she said.

Banigo decried the escalating cases of academic burnout, substance abuse, and emotional distress among students and teachers across Nigeria and other African countries.

“Across Nigeria and much of Africa, we face a growing crisis of academic burnout, substance use among youths, and rising emotional distress among both students and educators. Too often, these challenges are misunderstood, dismissed, or spiritualised, leaving many to suffer in silence,” she lamented.

She urged stakeholders to shift from “silence to action” and from “stigma to support,” stressing that schools must evolve into spaces that promote both intellectual and emotional development.

Reaffirming the Senate’s commitment to fostering mental and academic well-being, Banigo outlined several policy measures to be pursued in collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Health.

“We must integrate mental health education into the school curriculum, train teachers and counsellors in emotional intelligence and crisis response, establish mental health desks in all schools, and empower parents through community-based awareness programmes,” she said.

She also called for investment in evidence-based research and youth-focused data to inform policies that promote mental health and strengthen national development.

The event featured two flagship MHEI programmes, a National Students–Parents–Teachers Roundtable in Abuja and a continental webinar hosted under AMHROA, both dedicated to bridging education and mental health reforms.

The national roundtable, held at the Federal Ministry of Education Secretariat, drew over 120 participants, including students from five secondary schools, parents, teachers, education officials, and civil society representatives.

Meanwhile, the webinar attracted 54 participants from 14 African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda, further expanding the dialogue to a continental scale.

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