Rising cases of suicide in schools worrying

Cases of suicide among students are not new in the Kenyan education sector. PHOTO | LISA MUGUNDA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Several predisposing factors have been identified for the rising suicide incidences, including depression, mental illness, drugs and alcohol abuse, strained relationships, inadequate parenting and poverty.
  • After four students committed suicide at University of Guelph in Ontario early this year, the university came under fire from students.

As the world marked ‘The World Suicide Prevention Day’ last week, a 15-year old, Standard Eight candidate, Clinton Okech Ojunga, of Olodo Primary School in Homa Bay County, took his own life after scoring 372 marks in a class test, falling behind his rival who scored 373 marks.

In his suicide message left on the class black board, the student said he had found it impossible to stomach the defeat.

The death of Clinton comes hot on the heels of yet another tragic incident, where a 14-year-old girl accused of starting the fire that burnt a dormitory that housed 338 Form One students at Nairobi’s Moi Girls High School, Nairobi, killing nine students, is said to have attempted to commit suicide more than twice.

Cases of suicide among students are not new in the Kenyan education sector. Several predisposing factors have been identified for the rising suicide incidences, including depression, mental illness, drugs and alcohol abuse, strained relationships, inadequate parenting, poverty, abuse, trauma, domestic violence, broken homes and chronic diseases.

EARLY INTERVENTION

According to psychologists, many youth show warning signs if they are considering suicide, and early intervention can save their lives. Often they just need a shoulder to lean on or somebody to listen. Parents, teachers, and friends are in a key position to pick up on these signs and get help.

The fact that most of the affected families are not willing to talk about it and many will go to any lengths to deny and hide a suicide or a case of attempted suicide further complicates any intervention measures that would have saved a situation.

The begging question, however, is whether our learning institutions are well prepared to handle learners with suicidal tendencies in terms of early detection and offering the much needed support that could save a life. With most schools having dysfunctional guidance and counselling departments, such incidents will continue to rise.

After four students committed suicide at University of Guelph in Ontario early this year, the university came under fire from students.

MENTAL HEALTH

A petition demanded the school do more to support the mental health of students and in response, top officials from the university took the unusual step of going door-to-door at campus residences three nights in the week to check on the mental health of students and hand out information on the various supports available. “Any time there’s a tragic event, you sit back and you want to figure out how to provide more support and resources and whatever else can we do,” said Patrick Kelly, an associate director of Residence Life, who helped organise the initiative.

Given the volatile situation in Kenyan secondary schools today as manifested in the spirit of violence, especially after the ban on corporal punishment, we can mitigate the situation by ensuring public schools and other learning institutions have professional teacher counsellors and providing the necessary resources. Likewise, is imperative that all teachers have some basic skills in guidance and counselling.

EARLY DETECTION

To prevent student suicide, schools and learning institutions should aim at early detection and timely intervention. Students with mental health problems need treatment by medical professionals such as psychiatrists, clinical psychologists or follow-up by medical social workers with schools playing a complementary role in supporting these students while at school.

Students with suicidal tendencies can be the trigger of a school crisis as the case of Moi Girls. When all the stakeholders and students in the school community are committed to making suicide prevention a priority, and are empowered to take the correct actions, we can help learners before they engage in behaviour with both irreversible and regrettable consequences.

 

Mr Ndori teaches English and Literature at Mvita Boys Secondary School, Mombasa. [email protected]