Mrs Angela Ochu-Baiye, the CEO of Jela’s Development Initiatives (JDI), a non-profit organisation, said that the mental health and wellbeing of school teachers will promote a safe learning environment for students.
Ochu-Baiye made this known during a Strategic Policy Meeting with Education Stakeholders in Abuja.
According to her, the project, which is sponsored by the TY Danjuma Foundation, is to create a safe learning environment for students and training teachers on mental health is the best way to achieve that.
“In order to create a safe and trauma free learning environment in schools, the mental health of teachers is very important for the mental health of their students.
“This training project provided an avenue to communicate with school teachers, to know their mental health status and proffer solutions based on how their mental health can affect their students if not well taken care of.
“So it is important we have more seminars, workshops and training to enlighten teachers on mental health in order for them to effectively deliver their curriculum.
“We all know that students spend more time with their teachers as opposed to their home so the relationship between teachers and students really needs to be addressed,”Ochu-Baiye said.
Mr Tersoo Akula, Education Programme Manager of the foundation said that oftentimes, the mental health of teachers was neglected, adding ”it ought not to as it may have negative impact on the students.
“Mental health has a direct impact on how learning and teaching in the classroom is received.
“The Foundation was very happy to support this project that will help develop more consciousness and mental health awareness for school teachers.
“We believe that training of teachers on mental health will translate into an effective and comfortable teaching environment thereby improving the overall quality of Education in the FCT.”
Mrs Erebor Olukemi, a participant, expressed gratitude for the training, stating that it has improved her mental wellbeing and brought her closer to her students.
“Mental health training is key and very important for everyone in the education sector because if you are stressed or depressed you will always transfer aggression.
“As a teacher myself I want to urged teachers to take their mental health seriously so that they can also help the students to understand their own mental health and this to promote an enabling environment for students to grow and develop without trauma,”Olukemi said.
