Opinion Article: Is SHS Pressure Breaking Ghanaian Students?
By: Asante Dennis
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In Ghana, the Senior High School (SHS) environment is often described as a place of discipline, excellence, and preparation for the future. But behind the blazers, clean-cut haircuts, and loud school anthems lies a quieter reality, one where thousands of students silently battle stress, anxiety, and exhaustion.
The pressure to perform is real, and for many students, it’s not just academic. It's emotional. It's mental. And it's growing.
Source: UGC
The heavy load of expectation
From the moment a student steps into Form One, the message is clear: your future depends on how well you perform here.
Parents invest all they have into school fees, extra classes, and provisions. Teachers emphasise grades. Society glorifies “the best schools” and “the best students.” In this race, even brilliant students begin to feel like they’re never enough.
A Form Two student from a top SHS in Kumasi put it plainly:
“If you’re not getting As or on the prefect board, it feels like you’ve already failed.”
This mindset pushes students to study deep into the night, often under harsh dormitory conditions. It’s not rare for some to collapse during exams due to a lack of rest or proper meals. The question is, are we raising strong minds or simply burning them out?
Mental Health: The silent crisis
Mental health is still a taboo subject in many Ghanaian schools. Students are expected to "be tough" and “stop complaining.”
But the truth is that many suffer in silence. Depression, anxiety, panic attacks — these are not foreign terms anymore. They are present, and in some cases, life-threatening.
The absence of trained counsellors in many SHSs makes things worse. Teachers often aren’t equipped to notice the signs, and peers may not know how to help. Students facing bullying, abuse, identity struggles, or academic failure are often left to deal with it alone.
In some tragic cases, students have attempted to take their own lives or dropped out altogether — not because they weren’t capable, but because they weren’t supported.
Source: UGC
Academic pressure is not the only challenge
Let’s not forget the social pressure. Students are expected to look sharp, sound smart, and follow strict school rules, from appearance to religion. Those who are different, outspoken, or creative are often misunderstood.
A student who loves theatre may be told to “stop wasting time.” One who speaks about mental health may be labelled “soft.” Someone who questions school rules might be branded as “disrespectful.”
The system often rewards silence and conformity, not self-awareness or creativity
What needs to change?
If Ghana truly values education, then it must protect the student, not just the system. That means:
- Introducing full-time, trained counsellors in every SHS.
- Encouraging conversations about mental health without fear or shame.
- Redesigning the curriculum to include emotional intelligence, creativity, and communication. Training teachers to look beyond test scores and check in on students’ well-being.
- Education is not just about producing A-students. It’s about nurturing healthy, thoughtful, capable human beings.
Final thoughts
The pressure cooker that is SHS's in Ghana needs a release valve. Students are more than grades. They are dreams in progress — and they need room to breathe, fail, recover, and grow.
If we want the next generation to lead with strength and compassion, we must first lead with care.
Education must stop being a battle to survive and start being a journey to become.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
