Challenges and Implications of Mental Health on Educational Outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa
Abstract
Mental health is vital to overall well-being and educational outcomes. However, it is often under-addressed in Sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of this review was to explore the mental health challenges faced by educational systems in Sub-Saharan Africa and to examine their implications for educational outcomes. Therefore, this article examines the challenges of mental health in the region’s education systems and their implications regarding education outcomes and proposes recommendations for addressing these issues. This study employed a qualitative approach combining literature review, case studies, and secondary data analysis. The findings reveal that mental health problems, including stress, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, are prevalent among students and teachers in the Sub-Saharan region. This has worsened due to socio-economic disparities and insufficient mental health care, resource constraints, underdeveloped mental health policies, lack of psychosocial support systems, inadequate access to mental health care, shortage of trained workers, and insufficient policy frameworks. The review concludes that addressing mental health in education is essential for improving educational outcomes. The strategies for enhancing mental health include policy reforms, integrating mental health education into curricula, training educators, community-based interventions, and collaborations between governments and non-governmental organisations
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Copyright (c) 2025 Evelyn Owomugisha, Dennis Zami Atibuni, PhD, David Kani Olema, PhD
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