Experts worry over increase in mental health cases in Schools
KAMPALA: Education experts have expressed concern over the increasing cases of mental illness among learners in Kampala schools.
Data from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) shows that 90,530 student mental health cases were recorded between July 2024 and June 2025, a 12.2% increase from the previous year, driven largely by depression, substance use, and suicide attempts.
A 2025 BMC psychiatry study of 2,800 learners aged 14-17 found that 34% reported at least moderate depressive symptoms far above the global average of 20-25%.
Speaking on Wednesday in Kampala at the launch of a mental health discussion guide titled; “Promoting Positive Mental Health”, Frances Atima the Head, Directorate of Education Standards at the Ministry of Education and Sports, emphasizes the need for schools to prioritize mental health.
“We need to be very careful that a good intervention does not turn up, dedicating an hour for mental health. I know probably its policy, but it should be informal that at any time a child should feel free, and have the space to talk about mental health” she said.
Atima noted that the guide is a timely and vital resource, which will help equip schools to foster open and informed conversation on mental health between learners and teachers while highlighting the critical link between mental well-being and violence against children.
“I think we need to look at different methods other than just having a formal method. And I would also like to say from our own experience from inspection, that safety and security is the biggest challenge we have in our schools” Ms. Atima said.
“The schools are not safe, when an incident happens, the whole country is running up and down. The other day, I led a team to some two schools and we were specifically assessing the safety and security after an incident”.
Ms. Atima also revealed that they have reviewed the basic requirements and minimum standards for education and most of the issues on psychosocial support, safety and security, violence against children will now be strengthened by the already basic requirements.
Yvonne Laruni Program manager Good Schools at Raising Voices explained that the guide was developed through the Good school toolkit which is an evidence-based approach to prevent violence against children in schools.
She says the guide aims to transform the operational culture of the entire school and improve relationships between teachers, learners and the surrounding community.
Laruni says schools need to boost quality learners by carefully selecting and training student facilitators, prioritizing those already engaging in similar activities or holding leadership positions.
“Creating a violence free environment, Schools themselves believe that they can teach and that learners can learn without violence.
They need to establish the structures, where learners go, who handles what cases, polices for handing misbehaver, for example who handles violence”
She called the government through the ministry of education and sports to streamline and integrate mental health into the school program.
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