A recent survey conducted by the Campaign for Popular Education and BRAC Institute of Education Development has revealed concerning findings about the mental health of primary school students. According to the survey, 55.2% of children experience anxiety or fear, and 36.9% of students are unwilling to attend school.
The survey also highlighted several other mental health challenges among children, including 36.5% showing a lack of focus on their studies, 28.6% suffering from mental distress, and 7.9% becoming increasingly irritable.
These findings were presented at a discussion titled “Developing the Mental Health of Primary School Students: What We Can Do,” held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in Dhaka on Monday. The event was organized by the Campaign for Popular Education and BRAC Institute of Education Development.
Stakeholders at the event emphasized the need for a collaborative effort to address the mental health challenges faced by primary school students.
The survey was based on responses from 203 support organizations across the country, representing all eight divisions, and included input from 12 discussions and four national and divisional meetings.
Prof. M. Nazmul Haq, Director of the Teacher Development Institute, and Abdur Rouf, Program Manager at the Campaign for Popular Education, presented the findings at the event.
The survey attributes the negative impact on children’s mental health to a combination of factors, including the long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, recent political unrest, violence, and the devastating floods that have affected the country in recent months. These events have led to heightened anxiety and trauma among students, with many witnessing or hearing about violence, vandalism, and street protests.
As a result, students have become reluctant to attend school, with some experiencing sleep disturbances, fear, depression, and increased mobile phone usage. Many children have also reported feeling isolated or losing their sense of playfulness, while others have developed negative perceptions due to images and news on social media.
The survey also found a noticeable rise in school absenteeism, partly due to the effects of the floods and other challenges.
During the meeting, Kazi Faruk Ahmed, a member of the National Education Policy 2010 Formulation Committee, highlighted that curriculum reforms carried out before the pandemic did not adequately consider the views of education stakeholders, which has negatively impacted students. He also stressed the importance of training guardians, as many parents have become the primary educators of their children.
Teacher leader Shahinur Al-Amin proposed increasing cultural activities in schools as a way to address the crisis, while Abul Kashem, another teacher leader, called for the creation of playgrounds in schools. He suggested renovating schools with available land to establish such spaces.
The survey’s findings included several recommendations for improving the mental health of students. These include the full implementation of the Child Protection Act (2013), incorporating mental health education into teacher training, organizing trauma counseling programs, training teachers to better assess students’ mental health, and ensuring adequate resources for student mental health services. The survey also recommended keeping school playgrounds open for physical activities and extracurricular programs.
The event was chaired by Rasheda K Chowdhury, Executive Director of the Campaign for Popular Education. In her closing remarks, she emphasized the importance of maintaining children’s mental health to ensure their education. She also pledged to present the proposals from the meeting to the government for further action.
Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder, Advisor to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, spoke as the chief guest, stressing the need for broader social changes to improve children’s mental health, beyond counseling alone. He also mentioned that the government is taking steps to address the issue, including the upcoming inauguration of 10 “beautiful schools” designed to promote children’s mental health, with plans to extend this initiative further.
The survey and the discussions highlighted a growing concern about the mental well-being of primary school students and underscored the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to support their emotional and psychological development.
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