Education is a basic human right recognized internationally. UNESCO’s 1960 Convention against Discrimination in Education supports this right and the Education 2030 Agenda. Social and emotional learning helps manage emotions, build identities, show empathy, maintain relationships, and make positive decisions. Education is essential for realizing all other human rights. However, mental health issues can hinder access to education. The World Health Organization defines health as complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not just the absence of disease. Mental health is integral to overall health, more than the absence of disorders, and closely linked to physical health and behavior. It involves recognizing abilities, handling stress, working productively, and contributing to society.
Mental health issues are significant for teenagers, with half of all disorders emerging by age 14. Early intervention is crucial. Adverse childhood experiences, like violence, impact cognitive development, health, education, and career success. Preventing and treating mental disorders in adolescents improves health and educational outcomes, benefiting nations economically. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child mandates nations to promote and protect child and adolescent mental health. Schools and early childhood education services play a key role in fostering mental health and supporting families. Schools provide necessary care for children in unfavorable surroundings and create a safe environment that supports academic success and safeguards children’s rights. School-based mental health interventions in humanitarian situations enhance education, attendance, and grades and reduce psychological distress. School-based initiatives aimed at preventing anxiety, depression, and suicide among teenagers have shown an average return on investment of 21.5, indicating that for every US$1 invested (United Nations Children’s Fund [UNICEF], n.d.).
Role of schools in creating a necessary environment— From here onwards, I will briefly review international practices and conclude with recommendations for the relevant authorities in Azerbaijan.
Examples of school-based mental health interventions
Sweden: The comprehensive curriculum for compulsory education, preschool, and leisure in Sweden underscores that “education cannot be uniform for everyone,” stressing that activities should focus on the individual’s well-being and growth, and that the curriculum should “aim to enhance students’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development,” equipping them for life’s opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences. In the Finnish National Curriculum for Comprehensive Education, the aspect of well-being is addressed in the section on pupil care and support. It highlights the importance of collaboration between healthcare and social services to foster a school environment that promotes students’ mental, social, and physical well-being along with balanced development. Furthermore, it asserts that basic education should aid in cultivating the healthy development of students’ self-esteem. The recent reform from the Norwegian government, Knowledge Promotion, emphasizes the inclusive nature of the Norwegian educational system, aiming to support all students in acquiring essential skills that will enable them to participate actively in a knowledge-based society.
Kazakhstan—Kazakhstan’s Adolescent Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (AMHSP) program enhances the national response to adolescents’ mental health needs. It includes three strategies: promoting mental health to reduce stigma and barriers to care, preventing issues by identifying high-risk students, and providing access to specialized services for primary care and mental health referrals.
Vietnam—Vietnam’s Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) have policies addressing children’s mental health. These include school counseling programs, inclusive education for children with disabilities, and interventions to counteract COVID-19’s impact on students’ well-being. MOLISA promotes community-based mental health care, including in schools. The government is enhancing capacity in social, educational, and medical sectors to protect students’ mental health, improve coordination, and foster early detection and intervention.
Ecuador—Ecuador’s school system also established the DECE (Department of Student Counseling), an interdisciplinary group of experts who have undergone training and have the expertise necessary to ensure the psychological and social health of students. DECE ensures that schools provide healthy and positive environments to students in which they are empowered to reach their utmost potential. The department also provides coordination among students, school staff, and caregivers to develop social and emotional competence, psycho-emotional care, and bridging students to care and services required. DECE played a crucial role in ensuring that the education sector was kept open under lockdown due to COVID-19.
Thailand—Thailand has legislative frameworks recognizing the importance of mental health care, promotion, and prevention. The UNICEF and Royal Thai Government’s HERO program equips teachers to handle students’ behavioral, emotional, or social challenges. The Ministry of Mental Health is developing a cross-sector plan to reduce stigma and enhance mental health response, prevention, and promotion. The Ministry of Education prioritizes children’s learning well-being by changing school climate, culture, and curriculum through screening, referral pathways, and social-emotional skill development.
Mozambique—Mozambique’s past few years of natural disasters, war in the region, and COVID-19 placed mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) intervention into teacher capacity development at the center. Together with the Ministry of Education and Human Development and education cluster stakeholders, UNICEF co-developed a guidebook on training to assist and educate teachers regarding MHPSS in schools. Rollout training, especially in impacted districts, provides field-based pedagogical technical guidance on responses to facilitate learners’ well-being.
Recommendations for the relevant authorities in Azerbaijan— As a signatory of international human rights conventions, Azerbaijan is expected to conduct necessary reforms in the education sector to accommodate the needs of students with mental health issues. While Azerbaijan has made significant strides in improving access to education and promoting academic achievement, there is room for further deepening the integration of mental health support and social-emotional learning into the curriculum, ensuring that these criteria are viewed as central to students’ well-being, rather than secondary.
Azerbaijan could adopt frameworks like those in Finland and Sweden, prioritizing emotional development alongside academics. The national curriculum could include mental health education, trauma-informed teaching, and peer support to help students manage emotions and build healthy relationships. Integrating mental health services into schools, as seen in UNICEF and UNESCO initiatives, could provide timely interventions for stress, anxiety, and depression, especially in post-conflict reconstruction. These models, aligned with international human rights frameworks, could address unique challenges faced by Azerbaijani students, such as social and economic pressures or historical traumas.
One promising approach in Azerbaijan is to establish specialized units in schools to address both the academic and emotional needs of students. The use of interdisciplinary teams, including psychologists, counselors, and social workers, can help identify students at risk of emotional or psychological distress and provide early intervention and a comprehensive support system. Moreover, these teams can provide a holistic approach to student well-being by collaborating with parents and local communities. In addition, the development of social-emotional learning (SEL) programs can become an integral part of the Azerbaijani curriculum, supporting not only academic achievement but also the development of empathy, self-regulation, and positive decision-making skills. These competencies are crucial not only for individual well-being but also for creating a supportive school environment that promotes resilience and social cohesion.
To sum up, various countries have different interventions. They all have a direct or indirect impetus from the UN and intend to ensure the right to education. What is also evident is the reactions given to the COVID-19 lockdown and how programs were adapted to the changing environment. The countries covered were chosen purposively because, while some (e.g., Vietnam, Thailand) have similar levels of development to Azerbaijan, Sweden is an outlier who can be seen as a benchmark.
