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Mental health sessions: Game changer for university students
Universities must make mental health support a routine part of student life, writes Rashid Kisseka
Rashid Kisseka. (Courtesy)
By: Admin ., Journalist @New Vision
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OPINION
By Rashid Kisseka
Mental health is vital to university students because it directly affects their ability to learn, cope with pressure and prepare for life beyond campus. The seriousness of the issue is reflected in evidence reported by New Vision on Thursday, April 17, 2025, which highlighted mental health concerns among young people and noted that university students had previously featured prominently among mental health cases recorded at Butabika Hospital. More recently, New Vision has continued to highlight the need for stronger mental health support for young people and students, reinforcing the importance of addressing psychological well-being within learning institutions.
University life is often presented as an exciting stage of youth, a time to make friends, discover talents and prepare for a successful career, yet, behind lectures, assignments and examinations, many students quietly struggle with stress, anxiety, loneliness, financial pressure, relationship difficulties and fear of academic failure.
A student who understands their emotions and knows where to seek appropriate help is better positioned to concentrate, participate in class, manage pressure and remain committed to their studies. Mental health support, therefore, needs to be treated as an essential part of university life, rather than something considered only when a student reaches a crisis point.
On April 2, 2026, New Vision reported that the education ministry, in collaboration with UNESCO, had trained more than 60 deans of students from public and private universities to strengthen student-support systems, including helping students adjust to university life and access support services.
The programme is co-implemented with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, demonstrating that student wellbeing is receiving attention across government and higher education institutions. In another report published this year, New Vision highlighted concerns about the increasing mental stress from primary schools to universities, with the State of Uganda’s Population Report 2025 indicating that 24.2% of adults experience mental health challenges.
Universities are also being encouraged to strengthen practical interventions. On May 14, 2026, New Vision reported on a National Students Conference held at Kyambogo University where students from Makerere University, Uganda Christian University and Kyambogo University, together with officials from the ministries of education, health and gender, called for stronger university policies, dedicated funding and youth-friendly services to address mental health and other student wellbeing concerns.
On April 2, 2026, New Vision reported that the education ministry, in collaboration with UNESCO, had trained more than 60 deans of students from public and private universities to strengthen student-support systems, including helping students adjust to university life and access support services.
The programme is co-implemented with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, demonstrating that student wellbeing is receiving attention across government and higher education institutions. In another report published this year, New Vision highlighted concerns about the increasing mental stress from primary schools to universities, with the State of Uganda’s Population Report 2025 indicating that 24.2% of adults experience mental health challenges.
Universities are also being encouraged to strengthen practical interventions. On May 14, 2026, New Vision reported on a National Students Conference held at Kyambogo University where students from Makerere University, Uganda Christian University and Kyambogo University, together with officials from the ministries of education, health and gender, called for stronger university policies, dedicated funding and youth-friendly services to address mental health and other student wellbeing concerns.
The Kyambogo University guild president specifically urged universities to move beyond awareness campaigns and implement practical interventions that directly support students. Despite these efforts, there is still a pressing concern that many university students continue to experience mental health challenges, showing that the existing initiatives need to reach students more consistently and before they reach a crisis point.
Mental health support needs to become a routine part of university life, with every student given an opportunity to participate rather than limiting such sessions to first-year students or those already experiencing serious distress. Universities can introduce compulsory mental health sessions for all students at least once each semester, using lecture rooms, halls of residence, faculties, student meetings and orientation programmes as spaces for open discussion.
Churches and mosques within university communities can also dedicate regular sessions to mental health, creating safe spaces where students can discuss stress, anxiety, loneliness and other challenges without fear of stigma. Digital platforms can complement these efforts through short mental health messages, online counselling information, confidential help channels and student-friendly content shared through university websites and social media.
Lecturers, wardens, hostel managers, student leaders and counsellors also have an important role to play by recognising early signs of distress and directing students to professional support. Universities can further establish student mental health committees that bring together students and staff to coordinate campaigns, identify emerging concerns and ensure that support reaches different faculties and student communities.
Most importantly, mental health sessions should become a continuous university programme rather than an occasional campaign, because students are not only preparing for examinations but also preparing to enter workplaces, serve communities and contribute to the development of the nation. Ensuring that every university student has access to regular mental health support is therefore a shared responsibility, and making these sessions compulsory can help build a healthier, more resilient and more productive generation of graduates.
The writer is a lecturer at Makerere University Business School
Mental health support needs to become a routine part of university life, with every student given an opportunity to participate rather than limiting such sessions to first-year students or those already experiencing serious distress. Universities can introduce compulsory mental health sessions for all students at least once each semester, using lecture rooms, halls of residence, faculties, student meetings and orientation programmes as spaces for open discussion.
Churches and mosques within university communities can also dedicate regular sessions to mental health, creating safe spaces where students can discuss stress, anxiety, loneliness and other challenges without fear of stigma. Digital platforms can complement these efforts through short mental health messages, online counselling information, confidential help channels and student-friendly content shared through university websites and social media.
Lecturers, wardens, hostel managers, student leaders and counsellors also have an important role to play by recognising early signs of distress and directing students to professional support. Universities can further establish student mental health committees that bring together students and staff to coordinate campaigns, identify emerging concerns and ensure that support reaches different faculties and student communities.
Most importantly, mental health sessions should become a continuous university programme rather than an occasional campaign, because students are not only preparing for examinations but also preparing to enter workplaces, serve communities and contribute to the development of the nation. Ensuring that every university student has access to regular mental health support is therefore a shared responsibility, and making these sessions compulsory can help build a healthier, more resilient and more productive generation of graduates.
The writer is a lecturer at Makerere University Business School