A conceptual framework for integrating digital tools into school-based psychosocial support for inclusive education in South Africa

The provided text from Frontiers in Education (International) highlights the growing need for school-based psychosocial support in South Africa due to prevalent issues such as poverty, violence, trauma, and limited mental health services. It identifies significant constraints within current support systems, including staffing shortages, weak referral pathways, and digital infrastructure disparities. The source indicates a gap in current research, noting the absence of an integrated, context-sensitive framework for incorporating digital tools into psychosocial support for inclusive education.

Why it matters

Addressing the deficiencies in psychosocial support within educational systems is crucial for ensuring learner well-being, fostering inclusive education, and potentially mitigating long-term societal impacts of widespread trauma and disadvantage. Developing integrated digital solutions could enhance support accessibility and efficiency, directly impacting educational outcomes and national development.

Key insights

• School-based psychosocial support is critical in South Africa due to widespread learner challenges including poverty, violence, trauma, disability barriers, and family disruption.
• Existing psychosocial support systems are hampered by shortages of qualified personnel (counsellors, psychologists, social workers), insufficient referral mechanisms, and varying teacher preparedness.
• Digital infrastructure inequalities exacerbate the challenges in delivering effective support.
• Previous research has examined related areas such as mental health interventions, digital health, task-shifting, telehealth, and AI independently.
• There is a recognized absence of a conceptual, context-sensitive framework integrating digital tools into school-based psychosocial support for inclusive education in South Africa.

Source

Frontiers in Education — https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1874952