Morulem Girls Secondary School in Abim District woke up to a tragic morning on Friday 12th July, 2013. This happened when I was the head teacher of this school. Aumo Susan, a student of senior 3B was found hanging with her knees about 10 centimeters above the ground. She had committed suicide by hanging herself using a sisal rope. A teacher who was incidentally the duty master that week was in S.3A for the morning lesson at 6:00am. He heard a student screaming and he went out to see what the matter was. He saw the watchman and three students under the tamarind tree. On close observation he understood that a student had killed herself. The teacher then started informing the administrators. I was informed after holy Mass by one of the sisters who had picked the information from another person. I did not believe it. The deputy head teacher informed the police who rushed immediately to the scene. I reached the scene after the police officers had seen the body of Susan and I was not allowed to touch her. I then continued to inform all the stakeholders. The student was buried the next day in her ancestral home.
When the teacher on duty rang me about the incident, I felt shocked and terrified. I imagined what the reactions of the parents and the clan of Susan would be. I felt extremely sad and grieved for a young budding life that had been terminated. I was humbled why such a thing happened during my administration at this dear school. I regretted what I might not have done to protect the young girl. My fear increased that this would be a bad example for other students to emulate.
As I reached the scene I fell at the spot near the hanging girl. I very soon realized that this was not good because I had to be strong as a leader to move things to the next level. I began to realize that these things happen. The feeling of remorse, a feeling that it could have been my fault that this girl killed herself left me depressed.
But when people told me stories of similar occurrences in several schools, I felt a little better. I reflected that this is a common behavior of youth that we must all address as stakeholders.
This experience drove me into thinking that I took things largely for granted. I should have taken precaution that youth are foolish and unpredictable. Young people can take things into their hands and make stupid mistakes. I should have anticipated such problem. I learned a lesson that I should be supervising the matron regularly and encourage house mistresses to counsel the students all the time.
Supervising the watchmen regularly to ensure that they scan the compound several times a night can put students with suicidal intensions under check. Students’ properties should be inspected for any harmful materials in their possession.
This incidence made me to realize that I should have been closer to the students than I was at the time. I should be holding more counseling sessions with individual students more often.
As I thought about the incidence I realized that I should have kept dogs in the school to keep stray students in check. I should also have inspected their properties to identify any harmful materials like ropes, knives, drugs and others. The incidence made me feel that I should have developed a mother-daughter relationship with all the girls such that it would have provided the opportunities for them to confide in me. I should have involved the parents of the girls more in counseling them together during visitation days.
In future, I will share the personal experiences of my school with my colleague Head teachers. This will lead them to share their own experience and we can learn from one another. I will pick a lesson from other schools where such incidences have occurred to learn how they are preparing for them for future use. I will also pick a lesson or two from those schools where such incidences have never occurred, to learn what they are doing to avoid it. I intend to discover and attend a workshop on crises management to empower me to handle such traumatic incidences. In future I will intensify guidance and counseling programmes in the school to strengthen the students.
Sr. Felicity Therese Drakuru 