A Blueprint for Supporting Mental Health and Psycho-Social Wellbeing of Teachers in Africa
Lucas Halimani
April 18, 2024
Lucas Halimani works at UNESCO’s International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA)
“Mental health is more than the absence of mental health conditions. Rather, mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, to realize their abilities, to learn well and work well, and to contribute to their communities” (WHO, 2022).
Mental Health for Teachers
Teachers play a crucial role in shaping the future through education. However, their mental health and well-being are often overlooked, leading to negative consequences for both teachers and students. The African Union together with UNESCO IICBA and the Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities are organizing a consultation on a draft African Union strategy on "Mental Health and Psycho-Social Support for Teachers." The strategy aims to address the unique challenges faced by teachers in Africa and provide a holistic approach to promoting mental well-being. With the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating existing mental health issues, it is imperative that all key stakeholders come together to support teachers in prioritizing their mental health. By improving the mental health of teachers, we can create a positive ripple effect on student welfare, learning experiences, and educational achievements.
The African Union strategy on MHPSS for Teachers represents a significant collaborative effort to address the well-being of educators across the continent. Developed by the AUC Department of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, with support from UNESCO-IICBA, the strategy is the result of a comprehensive process involving a wide array of stakeholders, including experts, Ministries of Education, teachers, unions, training institutions, and international organizations. The strategy aims to integrate MHPSS into the broader framework of teacher support, recognizing the critical role teachers play in shaping the future of education and the need for their mental health and psychosocial well-being. It underscores the importance of building resilient educational systems, particularly in the face of challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which has highlighted the necessity for robust support mechanisms for educators. The strategy is a testament to the commitment of the African Union and its partners to empower teachers and ensure that they can continue to provide quality education while also taking care of their mental health needs.
The strategy has six objectives: 1) to build the capacity of the education system to deliver MHPSS services; 2) to integrate MHPSS into education policies, curricula, guidelines, and programs; 3) to equip teachers and teacher educators with MHPSS knowledge and skills, including peer training; 4) to establish and strengthen multisectoral collaboration and coordination across sectors for MHPSS; 5) to monitor and evaluate MHPSS interventions and use data for improvement and learning; and 6) to engage parents, community leaders, and local organizations to support and provide MHPSS services for teachers and teacher educators. The strategy also aims to increase mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and advocate for more funding and policy support for MHPSS services for teachers and teacher educators.
The strategic interventions of the regional strategy are arranged into four pillars and three cross cutting priorities (see Figure 1). These are: preventive services, diagnostic and provision of focused, non-specialized support, access to specialized services and rehabilitation and social/community reintegration. The three cross cutting interventions are: enabling environment, capacity building of institutions and stakeholders, and multisectoral collaboration. These strategic interventions were systematically identified based on the evidence on what works to address mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in the education sector. The strategy also identifies the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders, such as the AU, Member States, Regional Economic Communities, development partners, civil society organizations, teacher unions, employers, and the health sector for a comprehensive approach to addressing the MHPSS needs of teachers in Africa.
Consultation on the Strategy
A consultation will be held on the strategy at the AFTRA annual conference running from May 7-9 in Lusaka, Zambia (for the strategy itself, the consultation will start at noon EAT on May 8). The goal of the consultation is for the strategy to be reviewed by AU Member States and other stakeholders and validated for adoption as an Africa Union document. Specific Objectives include the following: 1) To provide feedback on the relevance and the value addition of the strategy to AU (CESA 16-25 aspirations for the development of education in Africa and specifically, the first strategic objective of the CESA 2016-2025 on “Revitalize the teaching profession”; 2) To improve on the quality of the strategy through participatory assessment and feedback on the extent to which the realities at sub-regional and country levels are adequately reflected; 3) To initiate networking among educators, policymakers, mental health experts, and teacher associations to share experiences and build consensus on how MHPSS can be mainstreamed in the educator sector across Africa; and 4) To develop a road map towards the approval, launch, and implementation of the strategy.
If you would like to participate in the consultation, please register online at Online: Register at https://unesco-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_siFId4B5ScKJOf7C7iDyuQ. To download the draft African Union strategy on mental health and psycho-social support for teachers, please go to the mental health webpage of the UNESCO IICBA website: https://www.iicba.unesco.org/en/node/144. You will also find other useful resources on that webpage. You can also use the QR code below to register. We hope to hear from you.
