A recent survey has revealed that 55.2% of primary school children in Bangladesh are grappling with anxiety or fear due to political violence, natural disasters, and the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Conducted by Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) and Brac Education Development Institute, the findings of the survey were presented on Monday at an event titled “Mental Health Development of Primary School Students: What We Can Do” held at the BICC auditorium.
The survey revealed the recent political unrest and violence have had a significant impact on the mental health of students, with 45.8% exhibiting signs of trauma or instability. Additionally, 36.5% of students have become inattentive in their studies, while 36.9% have shown reduced school attendance.
In addition, the unexpected floods in various regions of the country have disrupted children’s education, causing trauma. Furthermore, the long-lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic continue to hinder their recovery.
The survey was carried out with the support of 203 organizations across the eight divisions of Bangladesh.
Data was collected through a general questionnaire distributed to gather public opinion, 12 focus group discussions, consultations with 30 experts, and two divisional as well as two national-level meetings.
The findings of the research show that political, natural, and social instability has led to a variety of mental health challenges among children.
The survey reported 19.2% of children have become inattentive in their studies, 15.3% exhibit unruly behavior, 4.4% have been affected by the curriculum, 13.8% are addicted to devices, 6.9% feel fearful, 23.2% are anxious, and 19.7% report feelings of insecurity.
The survey also pointed to the negative impact of social media, where children are exposed to distressing images and news.
Other concerns include the loss of childlike playfulness, increased feelings of loneliness, illnesses caused by floods, and rising absenteeism in schools.
Kazi Faruk Ahmed, member of the National Education Policy 2010 Committee and education leader, expressed concerns about the curriculum reforms made before the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said that these changes were implemented without consulting education stakeholders, which has had a detrimental impact on students.
Kazi Faruk also emphasized that while rapid changes in education are not feasible, parents, who have increasingly become educators in the current context, must also receive training to ensure proper education for their children.
Prof Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar, adviser for Primary and Mass Education, stressed that counseling alone would not resolve these issues and called for a collective social effort.
He underscored the need to change the schooling approach, make school campuses more child-friendly, and address other factors that affect students’ mental health.
Bidhan also announced that 10 new schools would be inaugurated this month, designed specifically to focus on improving students' mental health.
Rasheda K Choudhury, executive director of CAMPE, emphasized the need for increased government attention to public primary schools.
She urged authorities to recover playgrounds and address various other challenges in the education sector.
During the event, students and parents raised their voices in support of implementing mid-day meal programs in all schools.
The survey highlighted several proposed solutions, including the implementation of the Child Protection Act-2013, the incorporation of mental health topics into teacher training curricula, the provision of trauma counseling programs in schools, and the enhancement of teachers’ skills to identify and address students' mental health problems.
Additionally, the survey advocated for ensuring access to playgrounds for physical activities and allocating sufficient resources and budgets for mental health services in schools.
