Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown School Reopening and the Need for Mental Health Support for Undergraduates in Nigeria: A Mini Review

Abstract

Background: Higher education institutions are an important source of health services and supports, which act as a safeguard for students' social, emotional, and physical well-being. When schools are closed for an extended period of time, students may lose a sense of stability in their lives. The COVID19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of schools in meeting students' mental health needs. This revelation opens the door to updating and implementing school mental health policies in order to better assist students in need of mental health services and supports.

Objectives: To demonstrate the mental health impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and school closure on Nigerian undergraduates and highlight the need for mental health support services for the affected student, as well as the consequences of untreated mental health problems.

Methods: Articles on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and school closure on mental health of undergraduates in Nigeria published between April 01, 2020 and December 31, 2021 were searched in Google, Google scholar, medRxiv, and PubMed.

Results: Majority of the studies indicated that COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdown and school closure impacted negatively the mental health of Nigerian undergraduates, especially females.

Conclusion: Evidence has demonstrated that COVID-19 pandemic school closures negatively impacted the mental health of undergraduates in Nigeria. This underscores the need for appropriate mental health interventions by professionally trained social workers and counselors to assist affected students in achieving psychological wellness and academic success.