The PEMA Secretariat, MoESD, and UNICEF launch Helping Adolescents Thrive Programme in 166 schools

Thimphu, 29 May 2026 – To equip adolescents with socio emotional skills that strengthen their mental health and wellbeing, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD), the PEMA Secretariat, and UNICEF today officially launched the Helping Adolescents Thrive (HAT) Programme across 166 schools nationwide.

The HAT programme enables adolescents aged 10-19 to build resilience, understand their emotions, and protect their mental health while promoting overall wellbeing. Delivered through school counsellors and wellbeing focal persons, HAT uses locally adapted tools including the comic book Magnificent Meto and Friend, teacher’s guides, and caregiver’s guides to foster safe environments, encourage positive relationships, and strengthen support systems.

Mental health is a growing concern in Bhutan, significantly affecting children, adolescents, young people, and women. According to the National Health Survey 2023, anxiety and depression account for over 55 per cent of reported cases, followed by alcohol related mental and behavioural disorders. These conditions are strongly linked to suicide, which remains among the top six leading causes of death in Bhutan.

In response, MoESD, the PEMA Secretariat, and UNICEF piloted the HAT programme in 24 schools for six months in 2025. The pilot revealed encouraging results. Adolescents reported improved understanding of their emotions and greater confidence in reaching out to peers and counsellors for support. Teachers observed that students felt more comfortable sharing their problems, while parents and caregivers expressed that the sessions helped them better support their children.

Building on this success, the programme is now scaled up nationally to 142 schools, starting with those that have school counsellors. The 24 pilots schools will continue implementing the programme. By the end of 2026, HAT is expected to reach nearly 50,000 adolescents and 40,000 parents and caregivers across Bhutan.

Minister of Education and Skills Development, Yeezang D Thapa said, Bhutan has always valued holistic development and the happiness and well-being of our people. “The Helping Adolescents Thrive initiative strongly supports our vision of nurturing compassionate, responsible, and resilient citizens,” the minister said. “Today’s launch reflects our continued commitment to investing in the future of our children and young people.”

The national launch marks a significant milestone in Bhutan’s commitment to adolescent wellbeing. It formally establishes HAT as a nationally endorsed initiative in schools, ensuring that mental health and socio emotional learning are recognised as essential to every child’s education.

The launch also brings together government, partners, and communities in a shared commitment to align efforts for the programme’s phased implementation and scale up.

Head of the PEMA Secretariat, Dasho Dechen Wangmo said HAT is one of the key interventions being implemented in schools, with promising outcomes. “For the PEMA, the program aligns closely with the aspiration of Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen to build a robust system that not only responds to harm, but also actively promotes well-being, nurtures resilience, and prevents harm.”

The national launch also sets the foundation for sustainable expansion. Through clear communication of the roadmap, it prepares schools, counsellors, and caregivers to deliver the programme effectively and consistently, ensuring that the benefits of HAT reach every adolescent across Bhutan.

UNICEF Bhutan Representative, Rushnan Murtaza said mental health is more than the absence of illness. “By scaling up the Helping Adolescents Thrive programme, Bhutan is investing in the mental health of its young people and ensuring that every adolescent feels safe, valued, and supported to thrive,” the Representative said. “UNICEF remains fully committed to working with the Royal Government and partners to ensure that this initiative delivers meaningful and lasting results for adolescents across Bhutan.”

Going forward, the programme will build the capacity of wellbeing focal to implement the HAT programme in their schools.  There are 566 wellbeing focal in every school and 169 school counsellors across Bhutan.