Schools are the first and sometimes only place where young people can get the help they need and can play an important role in helping teenagers with their mental health.
Elzann Hlekani, director of campus wellness at Centennial Schools, said the youth are facing a deepening mental health crisis. She cited a 2023 Unicef poll that found 60 of South African youth said they needed mental health support, but only two-thirds managed to seek help. Most who didnt said they didnt know where to turn.
A 2024 Sapien Lab Mental State of the World Report revealed one-third of South Africans suffer from a mental health condition but most do not seek help. Teen mental health issues are escalating, the report said, fuelled by economic hardship, social instability and lack of access to services.