The Nigerian Senate has called for the inclusion of mental health education in the national academic curriculum to tackle the growing psychological and emotional challenges affecting students and teachers across the country.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, made the call in Abuja on Monday during a mental health awareness programme organised by the Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative (MHEI).
Delivering the keynote address, Banigo, who also serves as the Grand Patron of MHEI and the Association of Mental Health Reform Organisations in Africa, highlighted the critical connection between mental well-being, discipline, and academic excellence.
“Education is more than the pursuit of grades; it is the shaping of character, values, and vision. Yet, we cannot expect excellence from a mind burdened by anxiety, depression, fear, or hopelessness,” she said.
The senator decried the rising cases of burnout, substance abuse, and emotional distress among Nigerian students and teachers, stressing that many of these issues are often ignored or misunderstood. She called for urgent action to replace stigma with support and make schools safe spaces for emotional and psychological growth.
Banigo outlined several measures to strengthen mental health in education, including integrating mental health education into school curricula, training teachers and counsellors in emotional intelligence, establishing mental health desks in schools, and promoting community-based mental health awareness.
She assured that the Senate Committee on Health would work closely with the Ministries of Education and Health to implement policies that support learners’ mental and academic development.
Founder and President of MHEI, Dr. Ameh Abba, also emphasized the need to treat mental health as a key development issue rather than a purely medical concern. He noted that creating emotionally supportive classrooms and training educators in mental health awareness are vital steps toward building a resilient generation.
The event featured two flagship programmes — a National Students–Parents–Teachers Roundtable held at the Federal Ministry of Education Secretariat and a continental webinar under the Association of Mental Health Reform Organisations in Africa (AMHROA). Both sessions brought together educators, policymakers, and youth leaders from across 14 African countries to chart a new course for mental health reforms in education.