The Ministry of Education has reported that at least 20 suicidal cases have been reported among students across the country since January 2022.
The acting permanent secretary Ministry of Education, Ismail Mulindwa says that the outbreak of COVID -19 exposed both teachers and learners to sexual gender-based violence, family neglect and parental separations, child pregnancies, and forced marriages among others.
He says many teachers like their learners are unable to manage anxiety, stress and depression and have adopted negative coping mechanisms including alcohol and substance use, self-harm, or suicidal thoughts that increase their vulnerability to mental illness.
He added that School fires have also been on the increase, many attempted suicides have been reported with over 20 successful suicides reported of mainly candidate and semi-candidates across the different regions of the country since January 2022.
Among methods of suicide have ranged from jumping over from buildings, self- hanging, and school fires that happen very often.
It’s against this background that the Ministry with support from Strong Minds Uganda has moved to implement mental health interventions in a stakeholders engagement which ends tomorrow, Wednesday, November 30.
