Mental health experts call for school wellbeing systems to curb rising unrest

In a press statement, Thalia Psychotherapy urged the Ministry of Education and school administrators to strengthen both physical safety measures and psychosocial support systems, noting that discipline alone cannot prevent future crises.

The appeal comes amid a series of incidents of student unrest that have led to the indefinite closure of several schools. Among the most tragic was the dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy, which claimed the lives of 16 students, left several others injured, and forced the institution to shut down.

Through its Mindful for Schools programme, Thalia Psychotherapy said that while criminal acts in schools must be addressed firmly, institutions also need systems capable of identifying early warning signs of emotional distress before they escalate into unrest, violence, destruction of property, or loss of life.

“Arson is not protest, and nothing can justify the loss of children's lives,” said Margaret Wanjiru, Quality Assurance Lead for Mindful for Schools.

“But if we only respond after a dormitory has burned, then we are already too late. Schools need systems that help them identify distress early, listen to learners safely, and intervene before a situation becomes a crisis,” she added.

Wanjiru noted that schools already have mechanisms for monitoring academic performance, attendance, fee payments, and disciplinary cases. However, she argued that many institutions lack structured systems to track and support learners’ well-being.

“A student may be anxious, bullied, grieving, withdrawn, or under pressure, but unless there is a system to identify and support that learner, the school may only notice when the behaviour has already escalated,” she said.

Her remarks were supported by findings cited by Thalia Psychotherapy, which showed that 44.3 per cent of adolescents aged between 10 and 17 experienced a mental health problem in the previous 12 months, while 12.2 per cent met the criteria for a mental disorder.

According to Wanjiru, these figures highlight the critical role schools can play in the early detection and support of mental health challenges.

“Most adolescents are in school. That means schools are not just places of learning; they are also among the best places to identify when a young person is struggling,” she said.

“The goal is not to label children. It is to support them early, before distress develops into a crisis.”