By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

EDUCATION Director Dominique McCartney-Russell called the finding that one in five Bahamian teens have attempted suicide “shocking”, noting the Ministry of Education has logged only a handful of such incidents. She said students often hesitate to disclose their struggles to school officials.

“It’s not like my head is in the clouds,” said Mrs McCartney-Russell, acknowledging the mental health challenges among students. Still, she found the data surprising, as internal reports over the years show few documented suicide attempts — a disparity she attributes to students’ discomfort in opening up to teachers or administrators.

Her comments followed the release of the third Global School Health Survey, which examines issues facing Bahamian youth, from substance use and sexual health to mental well-being and community support.

The report found that teen outcomes have declined in two-thirds of the 54 indicators tracked since 1998. Among the most alarming: 20 percent of teens have attempted suicide, and nearly 25 percent have contemplated it.

Conducted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness with PAHO support, the survey polled over 2,200 students aged 12 to 18 across 35 public and private schools on eight islands.

Mrs McCartney-Russell said the survey’s anonymity gave students space to be honest about their mental health and welcomed the opportunity it provided for them to express themselves.

“Sometimes students are not honest with their teachers,” she said. “We have to also provide more opportunities where students feel like they have a safe space to be that honest, as they were in that survey.”

She said the ministry has launched mental health initiatives but acknowledged calls from students and teachers for stronger support systems.

“We have began focusing on mental health because our students have said to us that we needed to have more mental health programmes,” she said. “So they may not have said to us that they were struggling with those things, with suicidal ideation. But they have certainly said to us more mental health programmes need to be in our schools.”

Mrs McCartney-Russell said the ministry has tracked incidents over the years, typically reported by a team member or school principal.

“We’ve had where it has been a handful of attempted cases,” she said, noting that these typically result in counselling for both student and parent.

The report, she said, underscores the need for a multi-agency strategy. She confirmed the Ministry of Education is working with the Ministry of Health on a national response plan.

She also revealed that an advisory board will review the Health and Family Life curriculum to better reflect the challenges students face today.

Nearly 28 percent of teens reported persistent sadness and hopelessness, and 26 percent said they often felt lonely — more than double the 11 percent reported in 1998. Sleep loss due to worry rose from 14 percent in 2013 to 20 percent in 2023. Self-harm without suicidal intent jumped from 10 percent in 1998 to 27 percent in 2023.

Substance abuse was also a concern: 74 percent of teens had tried alcohol, up from 32 percent in 1998.

Fewer than half of sexually active teens (47.7 percent) used a condom during their last encounter — despite broad awareness about STI prevention. Dr Moxey noted this gap may be contributing to the rise in STIs reported by the National HIV/AIDS Programme.