Teen Wellbeing Report: Too Much Pressure, Too Little Help

“We see a perfect storm: high academic pressure, intense influences through social media, emotional stress and insufficient support – at home and at school.”

This is what Johnell Prinsloo, education researcher at the Solidarity Research Institute (SNI), says about the findings in Solidarity’s Student Well-being report which has just been issued.

The report examines the well-being of school-aged children from the perspective of parents and teachers who participated in a comprehensive online survey.

The data from respondents, mainly from Afrikaans high schools, offers a structured analysis of learners’ well-being, motivations, challenges, available support, future preparation and the need for practical aids.

The report, the first of its kind, warns of high levels of pressure, anxiety and lack of support for high school students in Afrikaans schools. This raises serious concerns with statistics that show how these factors can negatively affect an entire generation.

There is no doubt about the message that the findings convey, says Prinsloo.

“These are not isolated observations. These are hard numbers that clearly show how learners’ well-being deteriorates and how schools and parents struggle to keep up.”

The findings include the following:

• 81% of parents say academic pressure is the biggest challenge for their children.
• 74% of parents point to serious emotional challenges among learners.
• 77% of teachers identify social media as a major negative influence.
• 68% of teachers say discipline is a core problem in the classroom.
• 59% of parents feel they are not adequately equipped to support their children emotionally and academically.
• 45% of teachers describe learners’ motivation as neutral, while 31% consider it negative.

Chart from the report.

Prinsloo says this generation of teenagers is under tremendous pressure. The report also points to a dangerous combination of pressure and expectations.

However, the blame for this should not be laid at the door of parents, teachers or schools, she warns.

“Small percentages of parents and teachers are of the opinion that school programs are sufficient and effective. Even more parents and teachers believe that cooperation between home and school only works in certain cases, but up to 95% of teachers say they want to help with learners’ well-being.

“However, the majority feel they do not have the necessary skills. Parents feel the same,” she explains.

The challenge is therefore not that schools, teachers or parents do not want to help, but rather that they do not necessarily feel equipped or have the necessary tools to provide adequate support.

However, these trends should not be ignored.

“Each percentage point represents thousands of children who are struggling. This is not just a statistic, but an entire generation experiencing dangerously high levels of pressure.”

According to Prinsloo, the report should be a wake-up call to empower parents and teachers to effectively support and equip learners to successfully complete their high school career.

“These figures show that we no longer have time for denial. If we do not act now, the consequences will be felt long after school. We cannot afford to expose another generation to such levels of pressure, anxiety and poor support, as is currently the case.”

Prinsloo also recently spoke about the report in Maroela Media’s studio.

Chart from the report.

“This is one of the beautiful things that came out of the report: Raising children is not just a job for the school or a job for parents. It really is a partnership.

“When parents and schools work together and establish the necessary academics, versatility and support with decision-making and time management, we see that the children absorb the pressure more easily.”

Chart from the report.

Johnell Prinsloo. (Photo: Leonie-Mari Bezuidenhout/Maroela Media)