MCAST Students Deserve Better: Let’s Not Trade One Crisis for Another
Over the past few weeks, we’ve witnessed a long-awaited return to routine at MCAST, following an agreement between educators and the government. While this should be a time of relief and progress, what I’ve seen from my clinic tells a different story.
As a psychiatrist working with young adults, I’ve been meeting more and more students from MCAST who are struggling—really struggling. Since assignments began pouring in, I’ve spoken with several students suffering from anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and in some tragic cases, suicidal thoughts.
These students are not lazy or unmotivated. They are overwhelmed. What was once a manageable academic workload has suddenly become a flood of deadlines, group projects, and assessments, all squeezed into a short window of time. The psychological toll is real—and it’s growing.
This spike in distress is not surprising when viewed through the lens of research. Academic stress is a well-documented contributor to poor mental health. A 2020 study by Pascoe and colleagues found that intense academic pressure is closely linked to anxiety and depression in students (Pascoe et al., 2020). The World Health Organization (2021) has also raised the alarm on youth mental health, urging institutions to prioritise student wellbeing—particularly post-pandemic, where resilience reserves are already depleted.
And yet, here we are.
In the rush to make up for lost time, it seems we’ve forgotten the human cost. Students are not just recipients of information; they are individuals with emotional lives, responsibilities, and limits. Many of them work part-time jobs or support their families. Throwing every pending assignment at them all at once isn’t just unfair—it’s harmful.
One student recently told me, “I feel like I’m drowning and no one even notices.” That sentiment stuck with me. It’s a reminder that systems can sometimes forget the people they are designed to serve.
To MCAST leadership and policymakers: I urge you to take this seriously. Re-evaluate the pace at which assignments are being reintroduced. Offer staggered deadlines. Increase access to mental health support. Listen to your students—they are telling you, in no uncertain terms, that they need help.
Let’s not trade one crisis for another. The dispute may be resolved, but the fallout is far from over. Let’s move forward with empathy, not expedience.
References
Pascoe, M. C., Hetrick, S. E., & Parker, A. G. (2020). The impact of stress on students in secondary school and higher education. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 104–112.
World Health Organization. (2021). Mental health of adolescents. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health
