Are some boarding schools damaging students mental health?
In Uganda it\u2019s not unusual to send children to boarding school \u2013 in a tradition that dates back to colonial times. \n \nBut now a Professor of Psychiatry, Professor Seggane Musisi, has spoken out against boarding schools \u2013 warning he\u2019s seeing more children reporting mental health problems like depression and suicidal thoughts because of overwork and tiredness. Many schools get children up at 4 or 5am to start lessons early \u2013 and Professor Musisi says some students report being got out of bed at 2am.\n \nAnother concern he raises is bullying by both children and staff.\n \nSo should Uganda take another look at its boarding school system \u2013 and the welfare of the children who go through it?\n \nAlan Kasujja \u2013 himself a boarder from the age of 9 \u2013 gets the thoughts of both experts and students.