Akbar encourages children to keep their spirits up during extended school break

Minister for Education Rosy Akbar is encouraging children to keep their spirits up during their extended school break and has asked parents to monitor how their children are doing to ensure that their mental health is taken care of.

Akbar says studies show that children in this situation have faced a lot of stress and were experiencing much higher levels of problems like depression, anxiety, disruptive and aggressive behaviour when compared to before the pandemic.

She says they want to make sure that our young ones do not go through the same thing.

Akbar says in addition to the supplementary educational lessons that the Ministry has prepared, parents also need to be supportive and check on them regularly to see how they are feeling.

She says children may start to feel anxious and worried about the uncertainty that the upcoming weeks will hold as their mental health is more fragile and they react to stressful situations in different ways.

Akbar also advises parents to establish a routine for their children as being in a structured environment can help them manage and cope with their stress levels. The Minister has also reminded parents to ensure that their children stay home and do not move around unnecessarily for their own safety.