If you attend a school where first class is what they say you can’t attain. If you attend a school where lecturers threaten you with marks. If you attend a school where nothing ever encourages you. If you attend a school where examination is prioritised than the knowledge. If you attend a school where your involvement in extra-curricular activities is set to dent you. If you attend a school where the only encouragement you get is your parent’s pocket money. If you attend a school where lecturers read out notes but can’t practice what they teach. If you are in a school where hardship is first class. If you attend a school where everyone struggles with everything. If you attend a school where lecturers don’t see the good in you. If you attend a school where carryovers and spillovers are the order of the day.”
If you attend a school where your grades are being moderated. If you attend a school involved in threats than students building. If you attend a school where you keep silent at everything or get your certificate seized. If you attend a school where you appear before panels but was never given the chance to speak. If you attend a school where you feel you aren’t in school. Remember you are in control. They intimidate you to a height of fear, just keep pushing.
According to the English dictionary, depression is a state of psychotherapy and psychiatry, a period of low morale or unhappiness which can stretch up to several weeks and may include ideation of self-inflicted injury or suicide. Depression can further be defined as a state of sadness, mental, emotional and physical discomfort that leads to undesirable actions.
There have been several cases of depression reported across the country. A World Bank report in Feb 2018, stated that 22 per cent of Nigerians suffer from chronic depression. On July 29, 2018, Spectator Index published a World Health Organisation research that ranked suicide per 100,000 per country. Nigeria placed fifth with 15,000 in every 100,000 suicides. These figures are worrisome!
The causes of depression can be tagged to so many factors such as conflict, death or loss of loved ones, illness, and personal problems, to mention but a few.
Students of tertiary institutions have been a major target of depression lately. There have been different reports coming out from tertiary institutions about students who have succumbed to depression and found different means of ending it, some of which includes taking harmful substance thereby leading to death. Depression is striking undergraduates who are the country’s hope of tomorrow and suicides have been an antidote to this fast rising sickness.
The tertiary institution is a world of learning and an environment for grooming minds to be prepared emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually among others. This fast rising reports of depression is a threat to the features and competency of our Institutions. The height at which depression among students is been reported on regular basis is extremely dangerous even to the growth of our country. There must be urgent action to reduce it to a minimum now.
According to a report in OAU KILONSHELE, a campus news outfit in Obafemi Awolowo Univerisity Ile-Ife, two students committed suicide while three suffered mental health challenges in the last three semesters of the institution owing to poor academic performance. On the 19th of last month, a national medium reports that a 100-Level student of Kogi State University committed suicide over “boyfriend” issue. Another worrisome case was reported of a 100-Level undergraduate of the University of Port-Harcourt who last week committed suicide over an “unknown reason”. A lot of similar cases have also been reported from different tertiary institutions nationwide.
We are left with different questions as to why suicide has become the next treatment for students who are facing hard times in school, whether academically or socially. Truth is, having seen the rise of depression among 21st century students, the school management and government are yet to raise an eyebrow on this worrisome issue. However, it is pertinent to know that one of the primary duties of the management is to ensure the safety of their students.
Some variables are risk factors of depression. They are poor learning atmosphere, poor communication between students and management, students’ victimisation, extortion, lack of social activities, unbalanced academic timetable, obnoxious policies by school management. The management decision is binding on all students and such decision has a way of affecting their health
Some of the factors mentioned above are some evils that flourish in our institution which have resulted in student’s inability to continue with their academic pursuit. To avoid depression, students need to be comfortable. The system needs to be flexible, accommodating and educating. Students need to see reasons why they should continue staying in the system and not seeing it as hellish.
The government has equally failed in the fight against depression. A vivid example is the Ondo State government that suddenly jerked up tuition fees of tertiary institutions in the state to almost 400 per cent for both Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko and Ondo State University of Technology respectively. Parents who toil day and night to send their wards to school can no longer cope with the insensitive actions of the governments.
Parents also have a hand in the depression by their wards. The family is a place for seeking strength, confidence and reigniting hopes. Parents should know that the failure of their ward isn’t the end of their academic pursuit. As a parent, the way you handle your child’s performance matters. When a child fails, he’s getting closer to success, he repeats with the knowledge he has garnered and with the encouragement you give him, that child is certainly good to go.
The National Universities Commission (NUC) and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) two regulatory bodies for universities and colleges of education respectively, should introduce a motivational course for all students. This is the very important as daily motivations help balance the mind and makes the body energetic to pursue individual goals.
Equally, management of tertiary Institutions be it state, public or private, should consolidate on their Guidance and Counseling unit and make same easily accessible to students. Professionals should be made to manage these units. Students should be given unfettered access to the unit to lodge complains. A toll free line should also be made available to students. The best way to control depression is to get closer to them. Students are an important asset to the country.
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