MAINSTREAMING MENTAL HEALTH IN TEACHER EDUCATION: POLICY PERSPECTIVES AND PEDAGOGICAL INNOVATIONS

The rising incidence of anxiety, depression, academic stress, and socio-emotional problems among students has led to an increased focus on mental health as an essential area of concern for education today. Teacher education institutions form an essential foundation for providing pre-service teachers with essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enable them to support students mental health and well-being alongside their academic performance. This review article critically explores existing research literature(2015-2025), international and national policy initiatives, and pedagogical innovations related to integrating mental health education into pre-service and in-service teacher education programs. The review draws on interdisciplinary research literature from education, psychology, and public policy and critically synthesizes some of the emerging themes and concerns related to teachers preparedness, curriculum reform, mental health literacy, and systemic challenges. The review also proposes a multi-tiered conceptual framework for mainstreaming mental health education into pre-service and in-service teacher education programs through curriculum embedding, experiential learning, institutional support systems, and research-informed evaluation.