As a student at a large public university, I have been deeply troubled by the lack of adequate mental health resources available to my peers. This issue was brought into sharp focus last month, when a classmate of mine tragically took his own life.
The details of what happened are heart-breaking. My classmate, a bright and promising student, had been struggling with depression for several years. He had reached out to the university’s counselling centre on multiple occasions, only to be met with long waitlists and limited appointment availability. Tragically, in his darkest moment, he was unable to access the support he so desperately needed.
This is not an isolated incident. Mental health challenges are alarmingly common among college students, with studies showing that over 60 per cent of students report experiencing significant psychological distress. Yet, university counselling centres are chronically underfunded and understaffed, leaving students like my classmate to fall through the cracks.
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As a student, I am outraged and disheartened by this reality. We come to university to learn, grow, and prepare for the future – but how can we do that when our basic needs for emotional well-being are not being met? The pressure and stress of academic life is already immense, and the added burden of untreated mental health issues can be crippling.
Something has to change. Universities need to prioritize mental health support and invest in comprehensive, accessible services for students. This means increasing the number of counsellors and therapists, expanding hours of operation, and ensuring that no student is turned away due to long waitlists. It also means destigmatizing mental health challenges and empowering students to seek help without fear of judgment or academic consequences.
The well-being of students should be the top priority for any educational institution. Tragic losses like the one my classmate experienced should not be allowed to happen. We need immediate action to address this crisis and ensure that no other student suffers in silence.
As a student, I am calling for mental support.
By Tonny Kyule
Tonny Kyuleis a student at Rongo University in Migori County
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