Psychologists and education activists unanimously agree that psychological assistance is a crucial need in the South African education system.
Earlier this week, the DA announced that the Western Cape is leading the way in school mental health services in the country.
“There is a significant need for mental health services in South Africa, as revealed in a Parliamentary question by the DA last year, which revealed that 6.5 million people in South Africa need professional mental health intervention, of which almost 1.3 million need care for severe psychiatric conditions,” the DA said.
However, Vanessa le Roux, the founder of the NPO Parents for Equal Education SA, said the mental health services run by the Western Cape Education Department are ineffective.
“Psychologists don’t stay in schools. They come and they go. These psychological services are never found in disadvantaged schools, but rather found in affluent schools. I’ve reported issues where a school contacted me with children who are orphaned, because there are no social workers and psychologists in our schools, like the more affluent schools. To this day those children didn’t receive support,” she said.
Clinical psychologist Khosi Jiyane said it would be an error to cut children away from realities that occur in communities, families and the country.
“It can never be overstated that children feel deeply about the issues that face all of us. That is why psychologists are a need in schools. The government needs to bring these services.
“The South African education system focuses on subjects and forgets that these subjects must be taught to a human being. Schools must focus on building a child to know themselves first, before knowing a subject. Though there are subjects like life orientation, they are taught as if they are less important, when in actual fact they are the most important,” she said.
MEC for Education David Maynier said the psychosocial support referred to in the DA’s statement is not a new initiative.
“It is the normal psychosocial support our districts provide to schools. Each district has dedicated professionals who provide psychological and social work support to schools through the district-based support teams,” he said.
Maynier said the department has a three-tiered approach to dealing with psychosocial or mental health challenges among learners. The first, high-level support, is provided by psychologists or social workers in circuits/districts. Maynier said this may include individual or group counselling, or referrals to other government departments for support.
The second, he said, is moderate-level support, which is provided at school level in the form of case discussions with the school-based support team, or with individual teachers, and through referral to community services.
Maynier said the third is low-level support, or early intervention, prevention and proactive support.
“Which is provided at classroom, school, or community level, and includes workshops, training and online psychosocial support. A provincial inter-departmental task team on well-being has been established under the leadership of the Department of Health. The department is represented on the team,” he said.
Maynier said in cases where learners are manifesting symptoms of depression, and may even be at risk of a possible suicide attempt or just need to talk to someone regarding their mental health, schools should contact the psychologist or social worker allocated to their school by the district support team.
“Thousands of learners and teachers are reached through well-being promotion interventions and one-on-one sessions dealing with anxiety, bereavement, depression, abuse and trauma. Sessions on ‘trauma-informed schools’ and emotional first-aid training also reached thousands of teachers across the province,” he said.