On May 15, UNESCO and the French National Commission for UNESCO, in collaboration with the World Federation of Clubs and Associations for UNESCO (WFUCA), hosted a timely online workshop on mental health.
It brought together global voices to confront a pressing issue, ‘mental health’ as a cross-cutting development concern that impacts education, productivity, dignity and national progress.
A particularly resonant theme was viewing mental health through the lens of inclusion, a call to design environments where all people, including those with disabilities or invisible struggles, feel safe, heard and supported.
This aligns deeply with my values and the work I do in Ghana’s education and community development space.
Mental health challenges in schools
The workshop reinforced that mental health is not just an individual struggle but a societal responsibility.
If education is truly for all, well-being must also be universally reflected in how schools, workplaces and communities are structured.
While high schools and tertiary institutions often have functional guidance and counselling units, mental health in early childhood education remains underexplored.
Research from the American Academy of Paediatrics shows that mental health issues can appear as early as age three, often as anxiety, attachment disorders, or behavioural challenges.
Unfortunately, early interventions are rare in Ghana, allowing these problems to grow into learning difficulties, social withdrawal, or aggression.
As Ghana advances its inclusive education agenda under Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), mental health must be addressed from the start of the learning journey.
Although policies such as the National School Health Education Programme and school counselling units exist, access and consistency are limited.
Many schools still lack trained counsellors and structured well-being programmes.
Mental health should become a standard, measurable element of school quality and student outcomes.
Opportunities
The workshop highlighted the need to develop ‘Emotional Quotient (EQ)’, the ability to manage and express emotions and ‘Vitality Quotient (VQ)’, inner resilience and motivation to live fully. When youth lack EQ and VQ, the effects spill over into every aspect of life.
In schools, low EQ results in poor stress management, difficulty collaborating, and trouble coping with failure, often leading to academic decline and dropouts.
In the workplace, weak EQ and VQ hinder communication, conflict resolution, and adaptability, vital for teamwork and leadership.
In personal development, individuals with low emotional intelligence and values intelligence often struggle with unstable relationships, low self-awareness, and an increased risk of anxiety and depression.
These competencies go beyond academics. Our education system must shift from merely assessing cognitive ability to promoting emotional intelligence and resilience.
EQ and VQ should be embedded in school curricula, teacher training, and student assessments.
Addressing youth mental health requires broader support systems.
School-based counsellors, national helplines, and youth-friendly clinics must be expanded, decentralised, and publicised, especially in underserved communities.
Education and awareness are vital.
Mental health education should be incorporated into the national curriculum to help students recognise and manage emotional challenges.
Public campaigns via media, religious institutions, and community leaders can reduce stigma and encourage early help-seeking.
Technology also offers promising avenues.
Apps, digital therapy platforms, and anonymous chat services tailored for youth can provide discreet, immediate support.
These should be well-regulated and integrated into existing care structures.
The way forward
Supporting the mental well-being of early graders requires a proactive, layered approach.
Schools must include age-appropriate mental health content in the curriculum to help children understand and express emotions.
Teachers should be trained to recognise distress signals and respond empathetically.
Parents, too, need guidance on fostering emotionally supportive home environments.
Schools must foster play, creativity and peer engagement, which are key components of emotional growth.
The government and education stakeholders should prioritise counsellor access, particularly in remote or disadvantaged areas.
Yet, beyond systems and tools, what’s most needed is belief.
As emphasised in the workshop, belief in oneself fuels resilience.
When youth feel valued and capable, they are better equipped to face life’s challenges.
That belief must be nurtured by families, educators, policymakers and society.
As a country, we must ask: Are we building spaces where young people feel safe to speak, be heard, and heal?
Are our systems inclusive enough to support mental health in all its forms, i.e., visible or invisible, mild or severe?
Mental health is not a luxury.
It is a right and a foundation for progress.
The youth are not just observing.
They are living this reality.
Let’s meet them with empathy, urgency and unwavering commitment.
• The writer is with the Ghana Commission for UNESCO
