House of Representatives: 'Mental pressure on students must be tackled quickly'
The corona measures in higher education have been scrapped, but the mental problems of students have not yet disappeared. The Ministry of Education is working on an “integrated approach” to student well-being.
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The corona crisis has had a significant impact on young people. Students experienced more study stress and felt emotional exhausted. "The pressure is now even higher than before, because many students are struggling with arrears and their student debt is increasing," says student Jasmijn Veraart in the article about this in the last Education magazine. Another student says: "I miss a future perspective: why should I even try?"
I miss a future perspective: why should I even do my best?
Concerns about stress and the mental problems of students also live in the House of Representatives. And those problems are not only due to the corona crisis. What “culture change” is needed to reduce stress, asks the PvdA party in a written consultation about the National Education Programme. Will the Party for the Animals want to know whether there will be “continuing attention” for this after corona as well? The SGP is curious whether the “physical health associated with the mental health of students” is also included.
Performance Pressure
Minister Dijkgraaf is working on it, writes he. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and VWS are having "full discussions with the field and experts about developing an integrated approach to mental health in higher education". This not only looks at guidance in case of complaints, but also at prevention. Underlying causes of “stress and the pressure to perform that students experience” are also included.
The physical health of students is not overlooked, he assures the SGP. "Collaboration in the field of student well-being" he will explore in the coming period with the State Secretary of Health, Welfare and Sport.
This week, among others, the MIND Platform advocated during a round table discussion that educational institutions can do more. For example, they could organize classes on mental health. Before the meeting, GroenLinks, ChristenUnie and youth organizations presented the manifesto Hopeful Perspective. In addition to breaking the taboo on mental problems and quick access to help, they also advocate 'drastically reducing the financial pressure on young people'. "There is every reason to work on this quickly," said GroenLinks Member of Parliament Lisa Westerveld.
Lecturers are worried and try to keep the conversation going in all sorts of ways, but that is quite difficult
Mental pressure and psychological complaints among students are not new and led to the establishment of the National Network for Student Welfare in Higher Education in 2018 at the request of the Ministry. The network focuses on knowledge sharing so that educational institutions can learn from each other.
For example, Fontys Hogescholen came up with the Student Welfare Action Plan three years ago in response to signals of increasing pressure to perform. The university then launched the online platform Fontys Helpt where students can now quickly see who they can turn to for help. The pandemic led to an increase in existing complaints, says Esther Tonnaer, student coaching consultant at Fontys. “Stress, anxiety and motivational problems have increased a lot. Teachers are worried and try to keep the conversation going in all kinds of ways, but that's quite difficult."
Read here the entire article from the Education magazine about student well-being and how universities of applied sciences are trying to turn the tide.
