Staff and Student’s mental health has been challenged, with schools closing and adapting to the new normal to keep up with the 2020 academic year, enough support had to be made available.
The Department of Higher Education has stepped in to help students by offering a mental health helpline which will be operational 24/7. The helpline is facilitated by higher Health, an agency of the Department of Higher Education.
The Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande, has welcomed this initiative by Higher Health, ” South Africa must take note of statements by the United Nations, World Health Organisation and local experts, that the mental and the wellbeing of whole societies have been severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and are an urgent priority”.
Higher health has made support available through a three-tier programme. It looks at how students and staff have been impacted by the pandemic and what support could be offered.
This includes issues related to substance abuse and gender based violence.
24-hour Higher Health helpline
Toll-free call 0800 36 36 36
SMS 43-33-6
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