Teachers trained on mental health to curb frequent suicides

School heads from Bungoma, Busia and Kakamega counties underwent mental health training to avert frequent suicidal cases among teachers. 

Chairperson Bungoma County Education Board Leonidah Makila said many teachers are going through depression, stemming from mental issues.

She said the training, which had tutors drawn from high schools and colleges across the counties, will help teachers be focused.

The chairperson spoke during the Friday workshop at County Green Hotel, Sikata in Bungoma.

Makila who is also a lecturer at Kibabii University said the workshop also aims at encouraging teachers to find ways to improve mathematics and sciences performance in Western.

She said Bungoma posted poor results in the subjects.

The chairperson said Covid-19 disruptions negatively affected the education system and the short schedule has given teachers stress, creating depression that if not well managed might result to suicidal cases.

“Today, many teachers face stress as they chase deadlines and pressure from the TSC,” she said.  

Kibabii University VC Iprara Odeo said that the workshop resulted from a research done by Kibabii, Dar es salaam and Zambia universities.

The study showed that many high school students are performing poorly in mathematics and sciences.

“Kibabii has partnered with other universities to see if we can come up with a solution to improve the performance,” Odeo said.

The VC said tutors should change their tactic of teaching mathematics, as maths is the heart of every course.

He said if students continue failing mathematics and sciences, then the country risks missing professionals in the near future.

Odeo said the university together with other partners will organise a maths workshop, as a strategy to improve performance.

Director State Department for University Education and Research Nanjakululu Wanambirifuma lauded the universities for doing research and coming up with a long lasting solution.

He said the study will address the issue of poor performance in mathematics and sciences at the national examination.

“The teachers are key stakeholders in implementing education and they should be engaged so that our performance as a country improves,” Wanambirifuma said.

He said other universities should emulate Kibabii in coming up with perennial solutions in the education sector.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)