In the past months, the Press has been awash with stories of unrest in schools, which have led to children burning dormitories and other things.
These incidents have been blamed on various issues such as indiscipline and the inability of pupils to tolerate some decisions.
The jury is still out on the exact causes or origins of these problems. Nevertheless, health experts note that the issues may also be resulting from mental health challenges, which are increasingly affecting children and young people in Kenya.
Chitayi Murabula, the president of the Kenya Psychiatric Association, notes that increased awareness on mental health is important, especially among parents, caregivers and teachers who spend so much time with children or young people in learning institutions.
“Knowing all about the condition in terms of prevention, symptoms or management is important so young people can get the help they need early enough before things become serious.”
A new study published in the JAMA Network Open journal indicates that cascading mental health screening to schools can also go a long way in averting challenges linked to the condition.