Every child deserves a sense of belonging and the chance to flourish— Educationist
Mills Simmonds observed that the emotional struggles many children carry are frequently overlooked in a system fixated on academic results.
Thara Brigitte Mills Simmonds, CEO of the Mulan Resource Centre, has called on Ghana's education stakeholders to focus more on children's emotional wellbeing, arguing that academic success alone is not enough for a child's overall development. At the launch of the Pyramid Social Emotional Learning Programme in Accra, she emphasized that schools should treat emotional health, relationships, and behavior with the same importance as academic performance for pupils to truly thrive.
Mills Simmonds highlighted the overlooked emotional struggles many children face, noting that a bright child may struggle emotionally, form unhealthy relationships, express their needs, resolve conflicts, show empathy, or cope with daily stress. She explained that the Pyramid Model serves as a structured approach to support children's social, emotional, and behavioral growth while complementing the existing curriculum, rather than replacing it.
The initiative aims to unite government agencies, educators, practitioners, parents, and development partners in the shared goal of providing every child with the opportunity to learn, belong, and flourish. Mills Simmonds shared that her personal experience as a child who excelled academically but struggled emotionally inspired her commitment to the cause.
She emphasized the need for a deliberate framework to identify and address children's emotional needs before they become apparent, expressing concern over the increasing toll emotional and mental health pressures are taking on young people. She argued that the issue lies not in a lack of intelligence but in the absence of a system to identify and respond to these struggles, which often leads to tragic outcomes among students.
Mills Simmonds hopes that the Pyramid Model will be adapted to Ghana's cultural and educational context, marking the beginning of a nationwide conversation on emotional wellbeing, supportive classrooms, and stronger connections between schools, families, and communities. She concluded by reaffirming the ultimate goal of an education system that equips every child to succeed academically, emotionally, and socially, ensuring that every child has the chance to belong and thrive.
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