Policy brief: Investigating school-based programs that support student mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in low- and middle-income countries

School closures and disruptions to mental health services linked to the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly impacted the lives of children, young people and their families. Now, more than ever, schools are expected to provide emotional and psychosocial support and stability to students, educators and other school staff. Education systems are therefore investing more resources into school-based mental health programs to ensure they can provide the required level of support, in addition to acknowledging the need for social-emotional skill development. The ever-growing number of school-based mental health and wellbeing programs make it challenging to identify programs that are effective. It is even harder to identify school-based mental health programs that go on to demonstrate improved academic outcomes. This policy brief provides recommendations for policymakers and development partners to implement effective school-based mental health and wellbeing programs that also provide evidence on improvements related to learning outcomes. The recommendations are derived from a rapid evidence assessment by the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Centre, which collates evidence on school-based mental health programs linked to student academic outcomes. This policy brief was funded by the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Centre, a long-term partnership between ACER and the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.