Students wellbeing is a priority

The Monitor Editor | Monday March 16, 2026 08:53

The research presented at the recent Botswana Secondary School Teachers Union symposium should serve as a wake-up call to us all.

We are so focused on coding, artificial intelligence, and the jobs of tomorrow that we are neglecting the basic safety and emotional well-being of the children sitting in our classrooms today.

Statistics are deeply worrying. One study revealed that 34% of secondary school learners in Gaborone meet the criteria for a psychiatric disorder, with depression leading the way.

This is not a niche issue; it is a crisis affecting one in three of our youngsters. How can a child struggling with their mental health possibly concentrate on mathematics or science?

Alongside this, we face a wave of school violence. Researchers have painted a picture of overcrowded classrooms, peer pressure, and family instability feeding into aggressive behaviour.

Meanwhile, teachers find themselves in an impossible position. The abolition of corporal punishment was a necessary and humane step, but it appears we have left our educators to sink or swim.

They have been told what they cannot do, but not properly trained in what they can do. As a result, discipline suffers, violence persists, and teacher burnout soars.

This is not just a problem for teachers to sort out on their own. It requires urgent intervention from government and education authorities.

First, we must treat mental health as a priority, not an afterthought. Every secondary school should have access to qualified counsellors, and mental health education should be woven into the curriculum to remove the stigma. These children need support networks, not judgement.

Second, if we are to maintain the ban on corporal punishment, we must properly fund the alternatives. Teachers need hands-on training in positive discipline, conflict resolution, and classroom management. You cannot simply take away the stick and offer nothing in its place.

Third, we must listen to our teachers. They are leaving the profession because they are overworked, stressed, and feel unsupported. If we drive away experienced educators, we run the risk of harming the very system we are trying to improve.

Botswana’s future depends on an educated, skilled workforce. But that future will not be built on technology alone. It will be built by healthy, happy, and safe children. Until we fix the violence and mental health crisis in our schools, our dreams of a 4IR future remain just that.