3 girls attempt suicide after being suspended from school

KENYA: Three students who attempted suicide after being suspended from school are recuperating at Nyamira County Hospital.

The girls from Tabaka Mixed High School in Kisii had been suspended after being found in possession of mobile phones contrary to school rules.

The three were rescued by boda boda riders who were attracted by their wailing at an abandoned alley at Nyabite market in Nyamira town. The girls attempted to kill themselves by ingesting hydrochloric acid at around 9pm on Tuesday night.

Two suicide notes were recovered from their bags.

But hospital's medical superintendent Cyrus Ayunga said two of the students had taken a large amount of the acid.

The girls said they opted for suicide because their suspension was unfair since they were sitting pre-mock exams when they were sent home.

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Two of the girls had written suicide notes about frustrations they had encountered in the school.

The girls said they were required to clear fees arrears for the year and pay the school's electricity bills before they could be allowed back to the school.

The girls said their parents were struggling to educate them and they did not want to burden them with the school demands.

One of the parents who was visibly shaken by the attempted suicide said he was in the school last Friday to plead with the administration to extend the fees clearance deadline.

It is in the suicide notes that details about the students' miserable lives in the school were revealed.

"Just find out more reasons for my suspension from Mr Charles Sese (the deputy principal) of Tabaka High School. I am tired of the trouble," read part of the letter that was addressed to the family of one of the girls.

When Nickson Owino, the school principal visited the students at the hospital yesterday, they started sobbing as he consoled them.

He said he sent the students home to bring their parents before disciplinary action could be taken and they were expected to report back tomorrow.

"I had instructed them to go home and come with their parents only to be informed that they are here in hospital. I am equally surprised," said Mr Owino.

The hospital's Nursing Officer in Charge Callen Ateka said the girls will be discharged through the psychiatric clinic where they will be subjected to counselling.

"We have already neutralised the poison and we are planning to discharge them through the psychiatric clinic where they will receive intensive counseling before they are allowed to continue with school," Ateka said.

Mid last year, a female student at Marindi Secondary in Nyamira committed suicide by plunging into a septic tank after the principal read her love text messages at the assembly.