SEF Blows Whistle on Growing Mental Health Risks Among Secondary School Children
By Prosper Okoye,Abuja
The Sam Empowerment Foundation (SEF) has sounded the alarm over the escalating mental health challenges faced by adolescents, particularly those in secondary schools.
The foundation highlighted these concerns on Friday during a one-day sensitisation programme held at Government Secondary School, Tudun Wada, Abuja, commemorating both Children’s Day and International Menstrual Hygiene Day.
At the event, SEF’s Programme Director, Kiema Ogunlana, stressed the critical role of mental wellness in national development.
“Mental health is a major issue, even among children. Many young people endure difficult experiences without adequate support systems. If a child lacks emotional and mental stability, they cannot be productive, which ultimately impacts national progress,” Ogunlana stated.
Her remarks followed a disturbing trend of increasing depression and suicide cases among school-aged children.
One recent incident involved an 18-year-old female student in Kubwa, Abuja, who attempted suicide after receiving disappointing results in her Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination. Having sat the exam for a second time without meeting the required cut-off score, she became distraught and ingested 12 paracetamol tablets. Fortunately, she was hospitalised and received medical treatment.
Ogunlana explained that the outreach initiative is part of SEF’s wider commitment to protecting students’ mental health.
“We provided the students with a toll-free line for calls or texts to seek help. Beyond this event, we plan to expand our support so that any student in distress can access a safe, non-judgmental space,” she said.
Despite the school’s urban setting, many students live with elderly parents or guardians who struggle to meet basic needs. Ogunlana noted that these hardships contribute significantly to students’ emotional difficulties and undermine their academic focus.
“We are considering establishing a mental health club here to ensure continuity of support. I have observed many students hiding their pain behind forced smiles. When you engage them, you realise the depth of their sadness,” she added. “Through this intervention, we hope to restore hope and bring back their smiles.” she said .
Ogunlana further explained that the day’s activities were guided by this year’s theme, “Stand Tall, Speak Up: Building a Bully-Free and Period-Positive Generation.
” Girls received education on menstrual hygiene care, while boys participated to foster empathy and understanding.
“We demonstrated that menstruation is a natural process. Including boys in the sessions helped them appreciate the hormonal changes girls undergo during their periods and the importance of support rather than ridicule,” she said.
She also expressed gratitude to the school management for facilitating access to the students and acknowledged SEF Founder, Dr. (Mrs.) Aisha Achimugu, for her steadfast support in making the programme possible.
SEF’s mental health expert, Chiamaka Nwankwo, engaged the students in open conversations, encouraging them to share their fears, joys, and challenges candidly.
Mrs. Mudashiru Fatima, Senior Mistress Academics, confirmed that mental health struggles among students are a real concern.
“We don’t judge them because we may not always understand what they’re going through. As teachers, we often represent their last hope. Students confide in us more than their parents. When a child misbehaves, we try to uncover the underlying causes, which are often linked to neglect or absence of parental care,” she explained.
She further revealed that some students self-sponsor their education despite school fees being as low as ₦6,500, yet many still struggle to afford it.
“Some teachers even step in to pay not because we have extra money, but because we want these children to learn to read and write,” she added.
Olaniyi Okikiola, the Assistant Head Boy, said the programme deepened his understanding of his female classmates’ needs.
“I learnt that girls deserve special attention during their periods because they experience mood swings,something boys often make fun of. Going forward, I will strive to be more understanding and supportive—as a friend, classmate, and fellow human being,” he said.
Isuwa Gift Tanko, a female student in Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS 3), expressed appreciation for the training.
“They taught us how to stay clean and care for ourselves during our periods. I won’t take that knowledge for granted. I also learnt the importance of sharing problems with trusted friends and keeping a journal to express my feelings,” she said.
The high light of programme are SEF distributed Dignity Kits containing sanitary pads, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shaving sticks, Vaseline, roll-on deodorant, and tissue paper. Food items donated by partners were also shared among the students.
