When the West African Examinations Council released the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results, I did not doubt it. I knew the results would be fair.

I waited patiently, anticipating parents’ reactions to the placement. Agitation, of course!

While attention has focused largely on examination results and school placement, I believe one important issue may be overlooked: the psychological impact these outcomes can have on learners.

For some learners, the results may bring disappointment, discouragement and loss of confidence, particularly among those who did not achieve their expected grades or secure their preferred schools.

Their preparedness for the schools to which they have been placed, and their ability to have a positive learning experience, depend to a large extent on their mental health.

Beyond examinations and placement, some learners may already be dealing with difficult circumstances at home, including financial hardship, parental divorce, sexual harassment, disabilities, chronic illness and drug abuse.

Some years ago, the Medical Director of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Dr Augustine Pinaman, attributed part of the failure of basic school students in examinations to mental disorders affecting them.

She urged teachers to pay attention to good students who suddenly underperform academically or show changes in attitude or behaviour (Modern Ghana, 2018).

If left unchecked, such experiences may trigger feelings of worthlessness, anxiety, inferiority and fear of failure. Most concerning is depression.

The consequences can be devastating. A 17-year-old final-year student of Mfantsipim Senior High School in Cape Coast, identified as Emmanuel Arthur, died by suicide, according to the Central Regional Police Command (Citi Newsroom, 2026).

In another tragic incident, a 12-year-old JHS student, Samuel Opoku-Boateng of Adventist Preparatory School, was found dead in his room in Aiyinabo in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region (Daily Graphic, 2020).

Such incidents raise difficult questions about the emotional burdens children may carry silently.

Mental health

Mental health remains one of the most overlooked areas in pre-tertiary education, yet ignoring it can have serious consequences. Dr Owen Kaluwa indicated that worldwide, depression is a major cause of illness and disability among adolescents, while suicide is a leading cause of death among young people aged 15–29 (Modern Ghana, 2018).

Research conducted in Ghana by Amadu M. P. et al. (2024) found that depression, anxiety and stress are prevalent among basic school students in Northern Ghana, with the potential to affect academic performance and well-being.

Socioeconomic gaps, cultural stigma and limited mental health resources further worsen the problem.

The Association for Suicide Prevention Ghana (GASP) has raised concern over the growing mental health challenges confronting young people in Ghana, citing a study which found that 25.1 percent of school-going adolescents reported experiencing suicidal thoughts within a 12-month period. (Source: Starrfm.com.gh)

Similarly, Cobbina M. et al. (2025), in a research study titled ‘School-Based Interventions for Students with Mental Health Problems in Ghanaian Basic Schools,’ concluded that existing interventions are insufficient and called for effective implementation of school-based mental health interventions.

Obeng-Okon S. A. N. et al. (2024) also found that low perceived social support and not sharing one’s problems were associated with increased risks of experiencing depression.

This makes social support particularly important in schools.

Who will a struggling learner talk to without fear of judgement or ridicule? Who will help them believe in themselves when they seem to have given up?

Who will stand behind them when they feel life has failed them, not just examinations?

These questions bring my argument to a fundamental issue in education: presence.

Presence

It is no hidden secret that our education system already faces challenges such as large class sizes and insufficient numbers of teachers.

Yet beyond these challenges is the relationship between teachers and learners.

Undoubtedly, every learner desire to feel seen, capable and valued.

Presence in the classroom means more than physical attendance. It means creating an environment where learners feel comfortable asking questions, expressing opinions and making mistakes without fear of ridicule or shame.

Such classrooms build trust, reduce anxiety and encourage learners to keep improving.

When teachers are approachable, trustworthy, welcoming and positive, they can reduce the tension, anxiety and fear of confrontation that some learners experience when sharing their ideas or personal issues with the teacher.

Research also highlights the importance of teacher feedback. According to Matthew M. Johnson (2022), teacher feedback often focuses more on criticism than praise.

A 1985 study from Texas A&M University found that only 6% of teacher responses to student essays were praise, compared with 94% criticism.

Former US President Barack Obama once reflected that the teachers who shaped his life were remembered not simply for preparing him for standardised tests, but for teaching him to believe in himself and reach his potential (An Open Letter to America’s Parents and Teachers, 2015).

That is the kind of influence teachers can have.

Compassion

Mental health support is not the responsibility of teachers alone. Parents, guardians, communities, the media and society all have a role to play.

Media personality Nana Aba Anamoah has urged the public to show compassion and support to candidates who may not have achieved their expected results, cautioning parents, friends and the public against shaming, insulting or comparing them (Daily Graphic, 2026).

Behind every result is a young person with emotions, thoughts, hopes and fears.

A grade or school placement should never become a measure of a learner’s worth.

As learners move from the BECE into senior high school (SHS), therefore, the question should not only be where they have been placed, but also whether they are mentally prepared for the journey ahead.

Would senior high schools be willing to strengthen their mental health support systems so that every learner has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive?

After all, successful school placement should not simply mean placing learners in schools or classrooms.

It should mean placing them in environments where their minds, abilities and well-being can flourish.

By HENRY ATTA NYAME

The writer is Institutional Assessment Practitioner

hattanyame@gmail.com