{"id":28873,"date":"2026-03-01T01:01:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T17:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rakansarawak.com\/v3\/?p=28873"},"modified":"2026-03-05T12:05:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T04:05:44","slug":"mental-health-support-for-student-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rakansarawak.com\/v3\/2026\/03\/01\/mental-health-support-for-student-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Mental Health Support for Student Success"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Schools, universities, and other educational groups in Malaysia have a huge opportunity to help students succeed. The best way to do that? By actively supporting mental health awareness programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research from Malaysia and around the world shows that when students feel mentally well, they do better in their classes, are more prepared for future jobs, and feel safer at school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By making mental health a priority, these institutions can truly fulfil their mission of helping students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bottom line is this: mental health is not a separate issue from schoolwork; it is the very foundation of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognising this and acting shows real commitment and creates lasting benefits for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Educational research has moved past just guessing. It now proves that feeling stressed, anxious, or down directly hurts a student’s ability to learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent studies have uncovered a vital connection in higher education: a student’s mental wellness is a key ingredient for their academic success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 2025 study in the Asia-Pacific Education Researcher showed that feeling psychologically well is what allows students to benefit from good teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When students are struggling with their mental health, even the best lessons cannot reach them effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means emotional wellness is not a “nice to have”, it is a must-have for real learning to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another research supports this. A study from the Canadian Journal of Higher Education (2025) found that students who felt more emotionally balanced also had better study habits and earned higher grades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When students feel mentally well, they are more present in class, more consistent with their work, and more involved in school life. Think of mental wellness as the foundation upon which academic success is built.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studies from Malaysian schools tell a similar story, with an important twist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) confirmed the strong link between feeling good mentally and doing well academically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, findings from Seremban Medical Assistant College raised a red flag: some students who are pushing for high achievement might be sacrificing their mental health along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This presents a clear chance for schools and universities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they understand that student wellness directly enables academic success, they can act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By prioritising mental health resources and creating a supportive campus, they help students thrive both personally and academically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Investing in student wellness is not just a nice gesture; it is one of the most effective ways to boost academic achievement and build a school culture where everyone has the foundation they need to succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The number of students who need help is so high that doing nothing is no longer an option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nationwide data from the National Health and Morbidity Survey shows that 26.9% of Malaysian teenagers aged 13 to 17 report symptoms of depression<\/strong>, which is about one in four students<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ministry of Education also reported that 35.50% of primary school students showed early signs of depression<\/strong> during the 2023\/2024 school year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This shows that these challenges can start well before high school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to public statements by the Malaysian Chinese Association, over 900,000 Malaysian adolescents have faced mental health difficulties since 2023<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About 30% of them report high stress levels, mostly due to academic pressure and expectations from their parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These numbers turn the argument from a theoretical concern into an urgent practical need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The effects of ignoring mental health issues go far beyond the classroom and can shape a student’s entire future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long-term research published in the journal Psychological Medicine<\/em> tracked people from their teenage years into adulthood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It found a pattern they call an “accumulation of risk.” Basically, the more times a person experiences depression between the ages of 11 and 24, the higher their chances of becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training)<\/strong> later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being NEET is linked to long-term money problems, feeling left out of society, and poorer health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another study from the Max Planck Institute, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health<\/em>, discovered that people with a history of serious mental health issues can spend between 1.8 and 6.9 more years<\/strong> classified as NEET between the ages of 20 and 34.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those who had been hospitalised for psychiatric reasons were twice as likely to start their adult lives as NEET.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that schools that ignore mental health may be directly contributing to students’ long-term economic struggles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today’s job market increasingly demands skills that mental health awareness programs help build.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 2024 study cited by the United States Senate found that 84% of employers want job candidates to have social and emotional skills<\/strong> like self-awareness, managing emotions, and getting along with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of these employers ranked these abilities as the most important factor when hiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By not providing training in these areas, schools are putting their students at a disadvantage in the competitive job market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bullying Crisis and Its Link to Mental Health<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bullying is both a cause and a result of poor mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It creates a harmful cycle that awareness workshops can help stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ministry of Education data presented to Parliament recorded 7,681 bullying incidents<\/strong> in Malaysian schools during 2024, the highest number ever recorded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Data for 2025 so far shows 2,889 cases<\/strong>, with most (2,149) happening in secondary schools. And remember, these are only the reported<\/em> incidents. The actual number is likely much higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A study of Malaysian adolescents published in BMC Psychiatry<\/em> identified bullying as a major risk factor “associated with a higher likelihood of depressive symptoms.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

International research from the CUNY School of Public Health, published in JAMA Network Open<\/em>, found that students who are bullied face 3.58 times the odds of attempting suicide<\/strong> compared to students who are not bullied. For girls who are bullied, the odds are almost six times higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Structured programs have been proven to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PEACE Pack program<\/strong> in Australia, an eight-week school program, \u201ccut down the rate of bullying from 20 percent to a low of 5 percent, and has maintained this low over the past four years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similar programs that teach students how to manage their emotions and resolve conflicts have been effective in many different places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schools that choose not to use such programs are, in effect, making an active choice to allow bullying and its traumatic consequences to continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Huge Gap Between Need and Help<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though the need is clear, Malaysian schools show a striking gap between students who need mental health services and those who get them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ministry of Higher Education data shows that only 402 public university students received counselling referrals during 2024<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is only about 0.067% of the total student population<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Deputy Director General of Education has admitted that this incredibly low number points to “a massive lack of awareness or a profound stigma” around mental health support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research on polytechnic students confirms that the main barriers to getting help are “stigma, limited awareness, and insufficient services.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This shows that even when services are available, students cannot access them without first building basic awareness and breaking down the stigma. This is exactly what mental health awareness workshops are designed to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many well-tested programs prove that school-based mental health support is both practical and effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n