Our story of June 15 on the worrying rise of reports of suicide and violence by students in Mbale City is another reminder that our education sector should be concerned about more than capitation grants, teachers’ salaries, academics, infrastructure, and grades. It is another reminder that learners are first human beings with personal struggles not just index numbers behind a school desk, cramming notes to pass exams.
In the month of June alone, a number of student suicide related deaths have been reported. These include a 16-year-old senior three student at Mbale High School who died on June 9, on June 11, a 19-year-old Senior Five student at Mbale Progressive Secondary School, and, more recently, a 14-year-old from St Mary’s college who was hospitalised after reportedly overdosing.
According to police, 14 student cases linked to suspected suicide attempts and mental health emergencies have been reported this year.
In 2025, police records indicate that the Elgon region registered 11 suspected suicide cases, compared with 13 cases in 2024.
Needless to say, such cases are not unique to Mbale City or the Elgon region. There have been a number of recorded cases from various parts of the country. This means as a nation, we can no longer sit back and hope that our young people somehow survive school and all its attending challenges and make it through life as long as we pay school fees and provide them with pocket money.
Well-thought-out and planned programmes and interventions must be designed to cater to the mental health of learners. Of course, schools are not solely responsible for learners’ mental health. Even if it is true that they spend a lot more time in school, deliberately taking care of their mental health must be a shared objective of all stakeholders. This includes parents and guardians, religious leaders, all community leaders, and the learners themselves.
Learners must be empowered to deal with mental health challenges long before any such issues arise. They must be taught to anticipate them, know how to recognise them, and how to deal with them in a healthy manner. They too can then be ambassadors of mental health and be able to help their peers. Teachers and school administrators must know that beyond assessments, competencies, and curriculum changes, learners have emotional stress, peer pressure, and other challenges. Interacting with them with this in mind makes positive impact effective.