Researchers from the University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (USTED), in collaboration with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST), have hosted a delegation from the Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation) as part of the Ghana site visit and implementation review for the Navigating Educational Pressures and Stressors (NEPS) Project.

The engagement brought together the NEPS Ghana research team and representatives of the SFA Foundation to review project governance, implementation progress, institutional roles, partner engagement, financial management, reporting indicators, emerging challenges and next steps.

USTED serves as the host institution for the NEPS Project, while KNUST is a key consortium partner, providing scientific, technical and implementation leadership across selected work packages.

NEPS is a 42-month, multi-country youth mental health research project being implemented in Ghana, Sierra Leone and Tanzania. The project examines how educational pressure, poverty, stigma and related psychosocial stressors affect the mental wellbeing of adolescents and young people while generating evidence to inform school, community and policy-level interventions.

The project brings together research teams from the three countries to produce context-specific evidence on youth mental health, educational stressors and practical support systems aimed at strengthening adolescent wellbeing.

The visit formed part of the SFA Foundation's engagement with NEPS under its BEING Initiative, an international mental health programme focused on improving the wellbeing of young people aged 10 to 24.

The SFA Foundation delegation travelled from Kenya and was led by Programme Manager Mr. Byron Bitanihirwe. Other members included Dr. Leah Aoko, Programme Officer; Mr. Benard Kituku, Specialist, Programme Finance; Ms. Judy Mwaniki, Programme Officer for Public Engagement with Science (PES); Mr. Brian Awiti, Specialist, Programme Finance; and Mr. Kelvin Kasoli, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Officer.

Addressing participants on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor of USTED, the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Boateng, underscored the importance of the project in addressing the growing mental and emotional pressures confronting students in educational institutions.

"The Navigating Educational Pressures and Stressors Project seeks to deepen our understanding of the realities facing students and learners within our educational systems," he said.

Prof. Boateng said the project was expected to generate practical, evidence-based solutions to inform policy, institutional practice and support systems that promote student wellbeing and academic success.

"More importantly, it aims to generate evidence-based solutions that can inform policies, institutional practice, and support mechanisms that promote students' well-being and academic success," he said.

He said the significance of the project extended beyond individual institutions and aligned with Ghana's national development agenda and the aspirations of the African Union's Agenda 2063.

"The significance of this work extends far beyond individual institutions. It speaks directly to Ghana's National Development Agenda and Africa's broader aspiration under Agenda 2063, which envisions a prosperous Africa driven by its people, particularly its youth," he added.

Prof. Boateng noted that students today face increasing pressures from academic demands, social expectations, financial challenges, technological change, family responsibilities and uncertainty about future employment. He cautioned that, if left unaddressed, these stressors could adversely affect learning outcomes, student retention, innovation and long-term development.

Members of the Ghana project team who participated in the review included Prof. Obed Brew, Prof. Daniel Ansong, Prof. Linda Ahenkorah Fondjo, Mr. Robert Anohene, Miss Akosua Gyamfua, Dr. Linda Banning, Dr. Kotor Asare, and Dr. Jeff Boakye.