Psychological First Aid Training for Teachers in Post-Conflict Schools in Borno State

This study evaluates the need for and impact of psychological first aid training for teachers in post-conflict schools in Borno State, North East Nigeria. Years of armed conflict in Borno State have left deep psychological scars on school communities, with both students and teachers experiencing trauma symptoms that impede the restoration of normal educational functioning. The study employs a pre-post intervention design, involving 120 primary and secondary school teachers from ten government schools in Maiduguri and Konduga Local Government Areas. Teachers underwent a structured two-day psychological first aid workshop developed in collaboration with a humanitarian mental health organisation. The Psychological First Aid Knowledge Assessment and the Teacher Trauma-Response Competence Scale were used before and after the intervention. Data were analysed using paired samples t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Findings indicate significant improvements in teachers' knowledge of trauma recognition and psychological first aid response skills following the training. Teachers reported greater confidence in supporting distressed students and referring those with severe symptoms to mental health services. Retention of skills at a four-week follow-up was moderate, highlighting the need for refresher training. These results demonstrate that brief, structured psychological first aid training can meaningfully improve teacher capacity in post-conflict educational settings. The Borno State Ministry of Education is advised to institutionalise psychological first aid training as a mandatory component of teacher professional development in conflict-affected local government areas. Keywords: psychological first aid, post-conflict schools, teacher training, Borno State, trauma response.