Education under pressure: why student mental health defines true quality in learning
- Editorial Team SDG4
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
As a team of journalists who observe the shifting priorities within education, I can no longer ignore the growing crisis surrounding students’ mental health. It is, quite simply, one of the clearest indicators of educational quality in our time. What we are witnessing is not just a pedagogical challenge but a psychological one, a collision between traditional academic systems and the new, relentless digital culture of comparison and validation.
The invisible weight of achievement
Today’s students face a level of academic pressure that goes far beyond what many of us experienced. Grades, performance metrics, and university entry scores have become symbols of worth rather than tools for growth. Psychologists refer to academic burnout, a chronic state of exhaustion and detachment caused by excessive study demands and the constant pursuit of perfection.
I’ve met students who thrive under supportive and holistic systems, such as Emma González, whose sustainability project earned her international recognition thanks to a school that valued emotional well-being as much as intellectual excellence. Yet for every Emma, there are countless others who quietly crumble under invisible expectations. Many of these young people never fail an exam, they fail to cope, and that, tragically, goes unnoticed until it is too late.
Social media: a mirror and a distortion
The role of social media in shaping students’ aspirations cannot be understated. Platforms that once promised connection have become powerful amplifiers of self-doubt. Through what psychologists now call the digital mirror effect, students constantly measure their success against the curated achievements of others.
For many, this leads to the impostor syndrome: the unshakeable feeling of not being good enough, even when the evidence says otherwise. I’ve spoken with young people who achieve top marks yet describe themselves as failures because someone online seems more accomplished, more confident, or simply more “liked.” This isn’t just emotional fragility, it’s the psychological cost of a culture that confuses visibility with value.
When success and failure trade places
True educational success should not be defined by numerical outcomes alone. Countries like Finland, where emotional intelligence and student autonomy are woven into the curriculum, report lower anxiety levels and higher long-term performance. In contrast, systems built on standardised testing often produce the opposite: heightened stress, declining motivation, and deteriorating mental health.
Failure, when viewed correctly, is not the enemy of learning but its companion. Many of the so-called failures I’ve encountered in schools are, in reality, systemic failures, institutions that did not listen, teachers who lacked the tools to intervene, or curricula that valued speed over understanding.
Non-Governmental organisations making a difference
Fortunately, several organisations are working to transform this landscape.
Student Minds, in the United Kingdom, defines itself as “the student mental health charity.” Its mission, “No student should be held back by their mental health”, guides initiatives that train educators and support students in universities nationwide.
YoungMinds, also in the UK, focuses on children, teenagers, and their families, providing guidance, professional resources, and advocacy for inclusive education. Their work highlights how belonging and emotional safety are not luxuries but prerequisites for learning.
Across Europe, Mental Health Europe promotes systemic change by linking educational policy with emotional well-being and digital literacy. It reminds us that quality education must address how technology shapes young minds, both positively and negatively.
Meanwhile, Active Minds in the United States mobilises students across hundreds of universities to redefine campus culture. By encouraging peer-to-peer conversations and dismantling stigma, they show how psychological support can coexist with academic excellence.
Towards emotionally sustainable education
If we are truly committed to educational quality, mental health must stand at its core. Schools and universities should not only cultivate knowledge but also nurture resilience, empathy, and self-awareness. Integrating psychologists into academic settings, offering training in emotional management, and reframing success to include well-being are no longer optional, they are urgent imperatives.
In the end, excellence without balance is illusionary. The most successful education systems of the future will be those that teach not only how to think, but also how to feel, to cope, and to fail without fear. Because the true measure of education is not how many succeed, but how humanely we allow every student to grow.