Song Jae-ho, "To Protect Teen Mental Health, Educators and Parents Must Also Be Educated," Proposed Amendment

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Song Jaeho, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, proposed an amendment to the School Health Act on the 29th to provide education for faculty members and parents to promote the mental health of teenage students.

The bill specifies health education for the promotion of mental health through the prevention and early detection of mental illnesses in the School Health Act, and aims to conduct this education for faculty members and parents.

According to Representative Song, as the COVID-19 pandemic prolonged, face-to-face classes, after-school programs, and play activities became difficult, increasing students' mental stress and leading to a rise in teenagers complaining of difficulties such as depression and anxiety disorders. Data obtained by Representative Song's office from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service shows that mental and behavioral disorders among teenagers (ages 10-19) increased by 115% for males and 147% for females in 2020 compared to 2016.

Representative Song stated, "Mental health management in the COVID-19 era is not an individual issue but a national task," and added, "Along with nationwide national care, support is needed to enable early treatment of students' stress due to changes in the learning environment, as well as depression and anxiety disorders among teachers and parents."