A recent BBC report reveals that school-based anxiety has soared to what mental health experts describe as “epidemic” levels in Northern Ireland, with tens of thousands of youths missing significant classroom time due to overwhelming emotional distress, autism, ADHD, and bullying. The scale of the crisis has prompted calls for urgent review of both mental health supports and how schools address students’ individual needs. With Thailand facing rising cases of adolescent mental health problems after the pandemic, these findings carry crucial implications for Thai educators, parents, and policymakers.
Northern Ireland’s Department of Education reports that 85,000 children there have missed more than ten percent of school days in the current academic year alone, with more than 4,000 facing such severe absenteeism that specialist intervention is required bbc.com. While the causes of absenteeism are complex, the phenomenon of emotionally-based school avoidance (also called “school refusal”) is becoming increasingly prevalent. The Children’s Commissioner in Northern Ireland has ordered a special investigation into why so many children find it impossible to attend school, citing anxiety as a major driver alongside autism, ADHD, and bullying. This mirrors worrisome trends seen globally in the wake of Covid-19, with young people struggling to readjust to academic and social environments they once entered daily bbc.com.
According to the report, many of the affected students, like the two siblings featured, are intelligent and motivated to learn—just not in mainstream settings. Their mother describes daily “meltdowns” and physical symptoms of distress at the prospect of attending school, noting that previous support measures like reduced schedules or “time-out” passes actually heightened their anxiety. She ultimately resorted to paying for private tutoring in basic subjects, frustrated by the lack of alternative options within the public education system.
Mental health consultant Bronagh Starrs told the BBC that Northern Ireland faces an “epidemic” of school-based anxiety, with some children experiencing “catastrophic levels of fear” that make school attendance impossible. She differentiates emotionally-based school avoidance from truancy, highlighting that most parents are desperate for solutions and actively seeking help. Starrs, among other experts, links this crisis in part to the “entrenched” routines developed during Covid-19 lockdowns, after which many children struggled to reintegrate into structured academic life. These observations echo concerns raised elsewhere that the pandemic’s long-term effects on children’s mental health may be far from over bbc.com.
Official data points to institutional strain. More than a third of high-absentee children referred to welfare services are stuck on waiting lists for limited support, while nearly 500 parents or guardians have been prosecuted in the last five years for keeping children out of school without valid excuses. Local officials, including members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, say families repeatedly approach them for help or guidance, and in some cases, parents quit their jobs to care for struggling children.
These findings resonate strongly in Thailand, where mental health conditions among youth have been rising sharply in the wake of Covid-19. Multiple studies—including a 2022 Ministry of Public Health survey—found that nearly a quarter of Thai students reported significant anxiety or depressive symptoms, with school pressures ranking high among stressors ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Absenteeism, once relatively rare, has become more common as students grapple with readaptation to the classroom. Like their counterparts in Northern Ireland, many Thai parents find themselves at a loss, navigating a patchwork of school policies and varied access to psychological support. Thai education officials, amid increased reports of bullying and social exclusion—especially online—have identified mental health as a top priority but face challenges in resourcing and deploying enough counselors (สำนักงานคณะกรรมการการศึกษาขั้นพื้นฐาน [OBEC], 2023).
The context in Thailand is complicated by cultural expectations: strong family bonds and a reputation for respectful classroom discipline may sometimes mask the depth of students’ hidden suffering. Many students feel unable to open up to teachers or parents about struggles such as anxiety or social fears, for fear of bringing shame or being dismissed as weak (สำนักงานกองทุนสนับสนุนการสร้างเสริมสุขภาพ [Thai Health Promotion Foundation], 2022). The Thai cultural value of “kreng jai” (เกรงใจ), or not wanting to inconvenience others, can discourage young people from seeking help—further compounding school avoidance and absenteeism.
Expert perspectives suggest several actionable lessons. International research consistently emphasizes the importance of early intervention, diverse educational options, and non-punitive approaches to school refusal. Clinical studies show that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), family engagement, and systemic support are effective for emotionally-based school avoidance pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. In places like Japan and Finland, public education systems have established alternative learning centres and “flex schools” offering smaller class sizes and therapeutic support for students struggling with mainstream environments—a model that may be worth exploring in Thailand oecd.org. Most critically, experts urge education authorities to avoid punitive legal action against struggling families, instead focusing on partnership, support, and flexible pathways.
Thailand’s Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health, has taken steps in recent years to expand mental health resources in schools, launching pilot “Wellness Corners” (ห้องสุขภาพจิต) and training teachers in basic psychological first aid. However, coverage remains uneven, especially in rural provinces. The largest obstacles include inadequate funding, high student-to-counselor ratios, and stigma associated with mental health conditions thaidmh-elibrary.com.
Thai tradition offers some resources for building resilience. Community-based approaches, such as temple youth groups and peer support models inspired by Buddhist “sangha” communities, have been shown to strengthen students’ social-emotional coping capacities. These could be leveraged further if properly integrated with school mental health programs (สำนักงานส่งเสริมสุขภาพจิต, 2023).
Looking ahead, experts caution that ignoring school refusal risks long-term harm—not only to the affected children’s academic prospects but also to their lifelong mental health and social participation. With the global rise in anxiety and school avoidance, Thailand faces an urgent need to develop holistic solutions: more flexible curricula, investment in school-based mental health professionals, ongoing teacher training, and a national strategy for family engagement. The rapid expansion of digital education tools since the pandemic should also be channelled into supporting vulnerable learners, for instance through hybrid learning options and online peer counseling platforms.
Thai readers—whether parents, educators, or policymakers—can take several immediate steps. First, openly discuss mental health with children and adolescents, emphasizing that anxiety is a common and treatable condition, not a moral failing. Second, advocate for more mental health services at local schools and participate in school management committees to raise the issue collectively. Third, familiarize yourself with national and regional helplines, such as the Department of Mental Health’s 1323 hotline, which offers referral and counseling services. Lastly, support and encourage schools to establish alternative learning options and peer support groups, drawing inspiration from both Thai cultural strengths and international best practices.
For more detailed information on the Northern Ireland report and research on school refusal in Thailand, see the original BBC article, research from NCBI, and the Ministry of Education policy briefs. As this issue continues to evolve, the Bangkok Post will monitor responses from both international and Thai authorities.