The executive director of the Initiative for Women and Youth Empowerment (IWYE), Musu W. Davis, has called for urgent action to address mental health challenges in Liberia's schools, warning that students experiencing psychological difficulties are often punished, stigmatized or expelled instead of receiving professional support.
Speaking over the weekend at a mental health awareness and psychosocial counseling conference at the Liberia Learning Center in Paynesville, Davis urged teachers, parents and school administrators to recognize conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety and trauma.
Presenting findings from her research titled "Mental Health Awareness in Liberia's Educational Sector: A Comparative Evaluation," Davis said students displaying disruptive behavior may be experiencing psychological conditions requiring professional assessment rather than punishment.
She cited the case of a young boy who was expelled from school for disruptive behavior, only for his difficulties to later be understood as symptoms of ADHD.
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Davis stressed the need for early identification, teacher training, parental involvement and referral systems to connect affected students with qualified professionals.
"I am not just a CEO and founder; I am a teacher and a principal of a school. I am trained to sit in that classroom and identify these challenges. We are professionals who took years outside Liberia studying how we can better the educational system of our beloved Liberia. I am glad I am back to do just that," she said.
The IWYE executive director called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, civil society organizations, schools and mental health professionals to ensure vulnerable students receive appropriate assistance.
She emphasized that improving mental health services does not necessarily require substantial financial resources but demands commitment and coordinated action.
"We can work together. We don't need billions of dollars to start. Though as a nation we are making some progress in developing mental health policy, we must never allow it to remain only on paper. It has to translate into practical support and action. So, we must, as a nation, act now," Davis declared.
"Let's start to address mental health as a national urgency and remove our political garment. The future of this nation rests on us all to do the needful," she added.
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Davis urged participants to become ambassadors for mental health awareness and encouraged education authorities to establish supportive learning environments where students can seek assistance without discrimination.
An educator, researcher and community development practitioner, Davis holds a bachelor's degree in education, a master's degree in psychology and an associate degree in school administration.
She has also received a Citation of Honour following her presentation at the National Conference on Contemporary School Mental Health Initiatives in New Delhi, India.
Davis maintained that Liberia's educational development must extend beyond academic performance to include students' psychological and emotional well-being, warning that failure to address mental health challenges could deny vulnerable children opportunities to succeed.
