MANILYN A. GALAMAY
Divine Word College of Laoag
Abstract
Mental health support in the workplace is not just an avenue to protect an
employee’s well-being, but an ethical responsibility governed by the agencies’
policies, rules, and procedures. The organization has a moral duty to safeguard
the dignity and morale of its employees; thus providing a safe environment
for everyone. It is the utmost moral responsibility of the organization to recognize the holistic well-being of each employee, including social, physical, emotional, and
psychological needs.
Keywords:
Mental
health stigma; public schools; teacher well-being; learner well-being;
workplace mental health
Introduction
Mental health support is a crucial need
in the education system, as there is an increasing number of depression cases
and suicide among teachers and learners due to the overwhelming pressures of
academic requirements and social media influence.
For teachers, these pressures include
the lack of protection for teachers with regard to the implementation and
representation of the Child Protection Policy, wherein misconduct or
misbehaviors of learners are highly tolerated, as such protection inhibits
teachers for some disciplinary measures due to fear of reprimandation from the
agency. Teachers are expected to exercise maximum tolerance at all costs;
managing heavy teaching loads, mismatched education and subject, emotional
labor, and constant accountability in and out of the school.
In the Philippine context, despite the passage of the Mental Health Act, mental health support systems in public schools remain weak due to the intensified demands of the system for performance evaluation, promotion requirements, redundancy of paperwork, large class size, and learners’ misconduct. This article explores the systemic factors contributing to inadequate mental health support and examines their implications for teachers, learners, and the education system as a whole (Malolos et al 2021, Gonzalo & Alibudbud, 2024).
Weak Mental
Health Support in the Public-School Environment
Mental health support systems play a vital role in achieving educational
and social goals. It is a critical
factor influencing learning outcomes as teaching is a high-stress responsibility
due to heavy workloads, diverse learners’ needs, different social backgrounds,
changing curriculum requirements, and the curriculum itself, and having extensive
administrative responsibilities (Wiedermann et al 2023)
One of the
primary challenges in public schools is the lack of mental health
infrastructure. Many schools do not have access to licensed psychologists, limiting
their ability to provide consistent and individualized support (Wachutka et al, 2024; Brown & Carrington, 2025)
Teacher
Workload and Psychological Stress
Teachers in public schools are burdened with heavy teaching loads and
extensive administrative tasks. While it is essential to prepare lesson plans
and instructional materials, there are different administrative tasks aside from
these, such as accomplishing redundant paperwork, documentation, and a lot
more (Rouch, 2019).
While these demands contribute to chronic stress, burnout, and emotional
fatigue, teachers are left with no choice but to keep up to the demands because
the job is our bread and butter. No matter how much we wanted to vent out our
frustration, we remain in the core of our oath as teachers.
Learner Mental
Health Needs and Limited Access to Services
In today’s generation, learners face heightened mental
health challenges. Many exhibit weaker tolerance to stress and are more easily
pressured by academic demands, social expectations, and extracurricular
obligations. The pervasive influence of social media exposes them to a wide
array of information and behaviors, some of which can normalize harmful
practices such as bullying, cybercrime, and even self-harm. Exposure to these
influences often blurs their understanding of acceptable social behavior and
can exacerbate anxiety, depression, and emotional instability (Claney, 2023; Barbayannis et al, 2022).
Cultural Stigma and
Barriers to Mental Health Support in Schools
Even though there are policies to support mental health, they are not widely put into practice in schools, mostly because of cultural stigma. Many people wrongly see mental health as a sign of illness or weakness, which leads to shame and makes teachers and students less likely to talk about their emotional or psychological challenges. Social and peer pressures also encourage people to hide their struggles, perpetuating the belief that asking for help means one is not strong enough, rather than recognizing it as a genuine need for support (Ahad et al., 2023; Wiederman et al., 2023).
In many cultures, teachers are expected to remain strong and calm at all times. They are often seen as the primary support for students and are expected to prioritize students’ needs over their own. Because of this, teachers may hide their own stress, anxiety, or emotional problems so they can keep doing their jobs. This pressure can harm their mental health and make it harder for them to fully support and guide their students (Greenberg et al 2016)
These issues highlight the critical need for systemic
interventions, including awareness campaigns, mental health literacy programs,
and institutionalized support systems that normalize seeking help and reduce
stigma. Both teachers and learners remain vulnerable to the negative
consequences of unaddressed mental health issues. Thus, providing social and
psychological support should be prioritized to sustain a conducive learning
environment.
Conclusion
The mental health and well-being of teachers and learners are closely shaped by the school environment, workplace culture, and societal expectations. Teachers face heavy workloads, administrative demands, and cultural pressures, often setting aside personal struggles to prioritize learners’ needs. Learners, in turn, are increasingly exposed to stress from academic pressure, social media, and peer influence, which can normalize harmful behaviors such as bullying, cybercrimes, and self-harm. Although policies supporting mental health exist, their implementation is often hindered by stigma, limited resources, and gaps in systemic support.
Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive and integrated approach that combines ethical responsibility with practical interventions. Teachers, learners, parents, school heads, stakeholders, and the Department of Education all share a role in fostering mental well-being. Schools must provide structured support through counseling, wellness programs, and mental health literacy, while aligning performance expectations with realistic workloads. By integrating ethical commitment, systemic support, and evidence-based interventions, public schools can safeguard the mental health of educators and learners, enhance teaching and learning outcomes, and create a resilient, supportive educational environment.
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