The government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Health, has announced plans to develop guidelines to address the issue of psychosocial support and mental health in schools.
Speaking to the media on September 19, 20204, Angella Nansubuga, the Ministry of Education’s program assistant, cited the efforts the Ugandan government is making to improve career guidance and mental health services offered in schools.
Read Also: Mpuuga Calls for Mainstreaming of Mental Health Services
Following the pandemic, the government received reports from schools about rising mental health issues affecting both students and teachers. After receiving approval from Parliament and Cabinet, Nansubuga said that the ministry will be able to hire counselors in schools to assist in addressing this issue since they have been involved in various activities, and with these guidelines they will be able to recruit the counselors.
“There is deliberate effort to ensure that counseling takes place and issues to do with mental health and psychosocial support are dealt with. After the pandemic, this issue came out clearly, and we felt that we needed to help both the learners and the teachers. We have been engaging through the guidance and counseling department at different fora and coming up with guidelines for counselors and a request for us to be able to recruit counselors in schools,” Nansubuga said.
Read Also: Mental Illness Affects Men more than Women in Uganda- MOH
The Ministry of Health’s involvement in counseling initiatives reflects a broader commitment by the Ugandan government to prioritize student well-being and prepare them for future employment opportunities. This further aligns with the government’s efforts to enhance mental health support and career guidance for students across the country.
In the early 2000s, the Ugandan government started to formalize guidance and counseling services within the education system. The Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) began developing policies aimed at integrating these services into schools, recognizing their importance for student welfare.
