In Jamaica our teachers are feeling the brunt of those student mental health needs on a daily basis. Yet the take up of services available to the teachers are not aligned to the potential impact and in some cases even the presence of these programmes.
Many of our parents too are indeed overwhelmed and can be seen crushing “weed” in their palms and with a “spliff” in their hands. Our children learn through modeling and if that’s what they see, they too will turn to these and other forms of dealing with “stress” and “stressors.”
Not to mention songs with lyrics like “a mad me a mad out” that justify behaviors that potentially exacerbate aggressive and violent behaviours.
It’s time to re-engage our stakeholders to assess the local realities and tweak what is available in tangible ways to drive change and transformation.
Discover why the majority of schools report that they can't effectively meet students’ mental health needs. #EWTopReadsoftheWeek
Schools Feel Less Equipped to Meet Students' Mental Health Needs Than a Few Years Ago
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