The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted students’ mental health, as highlighted by several recent surveys. The closure of schools, social isolation and the uncertainty generated by the health crisis contributed to increased levels of anxiety, depression and other mental health problems among children and adolescents (Hamilton; Gross, 2023).
In Brazil, emergency remote teaching during the pandemic deepened educational inequalities, especially in access to technology and quality of teaching. Public school students, in particular, faced difficulties keeping up with online learning, which may have worsened the impact on mental health (Feitosa et al., 2022).
The research by Netto et al. (2021) reveals that the pandemic affected not only students, but also teachers, who had to quickly adapt to remote teaching and deal with students’ emotional demands. The Canadian study by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (2022) corroborates this finding, showing that teachers experienced high levels of stress and exhaustion during the pandemic.
Given this scenario, the development of policies and strategies to support the mental health of students and educators becomes crucial. Training teachers in mental health, creating listening and welcoming spaces in schools and investing in resources for psychological care are some of the measures that can contribute to promoting the emotional well-being of the school community (Correa; First, 2021).
Furthermore, it is essential that schools adopt a comprehensive approach to mental health, which takes into account the social, economic and cultural factors that influence students’ well-being. Promoting a welcoming, inclusive and safe school environment, where students feel valued and respected, is essential for preventing mental health problems and developing socio-emotional skills (Carvalho et al., 2022).
In short, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of mental health in education and the need for effective actions to protect and promote the emotional well-being of students and educators. Overcoming the challenges posed by the pandemic requires a joint effort from the entire school community, with the support of public policies and investments in mental health.
Reference :
CARVALHO, EL et al. Adolescent health in the Brazilian federal education network: a meta-synthesis. Health in Debate, v. 46, no. supp. 3, p. 227-243, 2022.
CORREA, N.; FIRST, JM Examining the mental health impacts of COVID-19 on K-12 mental health. Journal of School Counseling, vol. 19, no. 42, p. 1-26, 2021.
FEITOSA, WPB et al. Education in times of COVID-19: a systematic review on the impacts of social isolation on the quality of access to Basic Education in Brazil. Psychology Magazine, v. 16, p. 63, p. 492-514, 2022.
HAMILTON, L.; GROSS, B. Student mental health and well-being: a review of evidence and emerging solutions. CRPE, 2023.
NETTO, CM et al. Brazilian education scenarios in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: systematic literature review. Theory and Practice of Education, v. 24, no. 3, p. 3-25, 2021.
CANADIAN TEACHERS’ FEDERATION. But at what cost? Teacher mental health and well-being during COVID-19 Pandemic. CTF, 2022.
