I just saw this from my social media account.
[Trigger Warning: Suicide]
Wake up, DepEd and CHED!
A 21-year-old female student, a resident of Zone 1, Sta. Elena, Iriga City, has died of suicide. According to PMSM Edward Dacara, investigator of the case, the parents are clueless that their daughter will die of suicide. According to the interview of Brigada News FM Bicol to the parents, the victim shared no problem aside from her problems in online learning. Aside from gadget-related problems, the victim had difficulties in signal and internet connections [1].
This is already the third reported incident of education-relation suicide in Bicol region. Last June 16 and August 15, two students from Sto. Domingo, Albay also died of suicide [2]. These students never choose to end their lives; the government has failed them, the rotten Philippine educational system took their lives away.
This frequency of suicide cases related to online classes must be enough for DepEd and CHED to heed the calls of students and teachers. Thus, the recent pronouncement of CHED which dared the students to submit petitions on academic freeze is outright insensitive and speaks well how detached this agency is to the plight of the students. Nevermind that several petitions were already submitted to CHED yet unresponded since March, it is the obligation of the government to know and to study the situation and problems of the students.
The poor and failed response of the government in the pandemic has taken its toll on Filipinos’ mental health. The National Center for Mental Health reported a spike in the number of suicide-related calls received by its mental health crisis hotline – a manifestation of the prevalence of mental health problems due to prolonged lockdown [3]. Camarines Sur Police Provincial Office already documented 34 suicide incidents in the whole province during the COVID-19 pandemic (January-August 2020) [1].
The mental health of students should be highly considered by DepEd and CHED in the pursuit of safe, accessible, and quality education amid the pandemic.
National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) - Bicol demands pro-student mode of learning amid the pandemic. There should be flexible, compassionate, accommodating grading systems. Policies on attendance and other school requirements must be lenient. The government should provide all necessary resources to ensure students’ access to education such as scholarships, stipends, gadgets, among others, especially for those poor and less privileged students.
We also call for mass-oriented and effective mass testing, contact tracing, isolation, and treatment to end COVID-19 transmission in the country.
If someone you know is struggling with mental health problems, in crisis or at risk of committing suicide, do not hesitate to reach out to the following:
National Center for Mental Health 24/7 Crisis Hotlines
Mobile: 0917-899-USAP (8727)
Landline: (02) 7-989-USAP (8727) or 1553 (toll-free)
References:
[1] Brigada News FM Bicol
https://www.facebook.com/brigadanewsfmbicol/posts/763119817821196
[2] NUSP Bicol
https://www.facebook.com/BicolNUSP/posts/3212250345523059
[3] INQUIRER.net
Maybe students just need proper orientation. In our school we implement modular learning.