The National Chairman of Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association (KEPSHA) Fuad Ali has announced full support for the establishment of a Mental Health medical centre for teachers.
Fuad recognised the rising cases of mental health challenges affecting teachers nationally saying the initiative by the Kenya Women Teachers Association (KEWOTA) to construct a Sh400 million facility to address this malady couldn’t have cone at a better time.
“When teachers are under stress of mental health even the students are affected with poor education results as a result,” he said when participating at the second national KEWOTA walk to raise funds for the mental health centre.
The teachers association held a fundraising walk in four different counties including Nairobi, Migori, Machakos and Kisumu where mental health awareness interventions were conducted.
According to statistics, nearly 300 teachers have had acute cases of mental health conditions in the past two years alone.
KEWOTA CEO Benta Opande has called on partners and people of goodwill to come on board in this noble project citing instances where teachers have reported to extreme actions including suicide due to lack of access to psychiatric and psychological help.
Speaking the beginning of the walk at Ulinzi Sports Centre in Nairobi, Opande raised the red flag on gambling that is destroying the lives of many Kenyan teachers.
“You find a teacher losing all their earnings in a game of Aviator and because they cannot face their families empty handed, they opt to end their lives,” she said.
She suggested that all online betting games must have a questionnaire to have a financial test of fit for those who want to bet.
“Let us have KRA on the Questionnaire to determine if these teachers are actually fit to gamble,” she said.
Chairperson Modesta Akaki noted that the rate at which teachers are was alarming an that help is urgent.
“Many teachers facing mental health issues have only fellow teachers to listen but these colleagues have no capacity to deal with the requisite counselling skills,” she said.
She therefore called on an urgent response to build the national response centre to deal with mental health of teachers countrywide.
Jacinta Ndegwa, the National Treasurer enumerated the various cases that have been reported but emphasised that many more haven’t.
“I appreciate the partners who have come on board already including the Old Mutual who have supported this course,” she said.
She also called upon others to join hands in completing the project.
The event that drew in hundreds of teachers and students was graced by the founder Chairperson of KEWOTA Hon. Dorothy Muthoni who today is a Member of Parliament.
She emphasised the need to have the KEWOTA Mental Health Centre saying it could not have come at more apt time.
Hilda Lengarpatei, the reigning Miss KEWOTA noted that the prospects of such a centre would help many young teachers live fulfilling lives.
Head of Business at Faulu Bank, Joshua Kittony hailed KEWOTA for the initiative and pledged total support as he invited teachers to consume their products including insurance and retirement plans.
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