Behind the exam timetables, the uniform inspections, and the end-of-term results slips, a silent crisis is unfolding in Uganda’s schools. Students are struggling — with anxiety, emotional distress, substance experimentation, and in the most tragic cases, suicidal thoughts — and the systems meant to support them are, in most cases, simply not equipped to help.
That was the urgent message at a school stakeholders’ workshop held on March 21, 2026 at the Makerere University School of Public Health Auditorium, organised by the College of Education and External Studies (CEES). The event brought together teachers, school leaders, counsellors, and key actors from pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools under the theme: “Enhancing School Stakeholders’ Competence through a Psycho-Education Approach in Response to Emerging Learner Issues.”
The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Rev. Samuel Happy Luboga, Chairperson of the Education Service Commission. His message was direct and uncomfortable: Uganda’s schools are producing exam results while missing the human beings sitting behind the desks.
Uganda is not facing a minor mental health inconvenience. It is facing a national emergency — one that happens to be concentrated in classrooms.
The country ranks among the top six in Africa for mental health burden, with over 14 million recorded cases of mental disorders. Depression accounts for 46 percent of those cases. Anxiety accounts for 29 percent. And 22.9 percent of children are affected.
Dr. Anne Ampaire, Principal Investigator on a survey presented at the workshop, painted a picture of schools ill-equipped to respond to what their students are going through. A needs assessment conducted as part of the research found that 32 percent of school stakeholders had received no training at all in mental health and psychosocial support. The remaining 68 percent had only basic peer support training — the bare minimum.
Gaps were identified across the board: guidance and counselling systems were flagged as inadequate by 55 percent of respondents, peer support systems by 25 percent, and referral pathways — the routes through which students in crisis get connected to professional help — by 16 percent.
In plain terms: most schools in Uganda are not ready to handle what their students are carrying.
What Is Driving The Crisis?
Prof. Luboga was frank about the root causes. They are not mysterious. They are everywhere.
Family breakdown and emotional neglect. Poverty and financial stress at home. The relentless pressure of social media and lifestyle comparison. Drug and substance abuse. Gender-based violence and sexual harassment within and around school environments.
“These factors are increasingly contributing to student suicides and long-term mental health challenges,” he warned.
The warning signs are there — if anyone is trained to look for them. Social withdrawal, low energy, poor concentration, sleep disturbances, excessive fear, and paranoia are among the most common indicators that a learner is struggling. But in schools without trained counsellors, oversized classes, and teachers focused primarily on syllabus delivery, these signs routinely go unnoticed until it is too late.
Schools Must Become First Responders
The central argument of the workshop was not that schools should replace mental health professionals. It was that schools — as the place where young people spend the majority of their waking hours — cannot afford to be passive bystanders.
“Teachers, school leaders, counsellors, and peer systems must be equipped to identify early warning signs, provide emotional support, create safe learning environments, and offer basic counselling and guidance,” Prof. Luboga stated.
Experts at the workshop outlined practical steps that schools can begin implementing immediately. These include encouraging open and honest communication with learners, promoting mentorship and guidance relationships, ensuring closer collaboration between counsellors and senior teachers, motivating rather than shaming or discouraging struggling students, teaching effective study methods to reduce academic anxiety, and actively promoting discipline alongside positive decision-making.
Collaboration beyond the school gate was equally emphasised. Case conferences, consistent parent engagement, and community partnerships were highlighted as essential components of any effective response. A student’s mental health does not begin and end at the school fence — and neither should the support systems.
What This Means Going Forward
Dr. Ampaire, in closing remarks, reframed the entire conversation around a simple but powerful idea: mental health is not about the absence of illness. It is about enabling learners to cope with life, learn effectively, and thrive in society.
If the strategies discussed at the workshop are implemented seriously and consistently, experts project improved learner wellbeing, reduced psychological distress, safer school environments, and stronger relationships between schools and the families they serve.
But implementation requires will — from school administrators, from government, from parents, and from communities that have long treated student mental health as someone else’s problem.
The workshop’s closing message was unambiguous: this is urgent, it is collective, and waiting is no longer an option.
If You Or Someone You Know Is Struggling
Mental health challenges are real, and seeking help is a sign of strength. If you are a student experiencing emotional distress, speak to a trusted teacher, school counsellor, or a family member. You are not alone, and support is available.
