SG Complains

Student jumps to his death after stabbing lecturer at Nanyang Technological University

According to MSN.com:

A final-year male student jumped to his death after stabbing and wounding a lecturer at Nanyang Technological University today.

University officials confirmed that the young man was dead and that the professor, identified as Professor Chan Kap Luk, was in a stable condition in hospital.

Read the full article at MSN.com:

- This is seriously disturbing to everyone in Singapore however I can’t say I am very surprised by all these violence going on in Singapore…

Given the high cost of sending kids to schools especially to university of Singapore and the prestige of graduating with a degree, phd, masters or even higher doctor status had been a global pursuit…

That certification is just like the ticket to rich and famous elitist future, a dream of greener pastures and hope of a above average life.

Now, compounding the pressure of a severe global economic crisis & high cost of education…there may be certain stress that will all the students now endure.

Pressure to excel in their studies, pressure to graduate with distinction, pressure from losing face, pressure from paying school fees, pressure from scoring lower then your classmates and more…probably far more to drive David Hartanto, a 22-year-old Indonesian-Chinese student, to such desperate & violent actions.

The probability of such events happening to any students is very high given the following possible speculated reasons.

1. High cost of living – foreigners pay rents for hostel, electricity bills, food, school fees & more.
2. Pressure to excel – from family, schoolmates competition, lecturers
3. Displeasure from being wronged by lecturer as “stupid”, “not hard working”, “waste of time”
4. Depression from relationship problems anything from student to student relationship to student to teacher relationship…or worst.
5. Pressure to excel to drive students to extreme methods and got caught?

Suicidal or violent behaviors may be caused by sudden split in mental disorder caused by society and their surrounding pressures & high expectation.

My suggestions are below

1. Give up – sometimes knowing your own true limits can divert more time to things you really have talent for…giving up is good.
2. Be happy – Always joke about personal embarrassment, anger, failure, mistakes to lighten up the emotional trauma (Haha…I can’t believe my pants broke in PE classes…haha etc)
3. Be realistic – Nobody is perfect hence life is wonderful to learn from mistakes of self and others.
4. Be a support to friend – learn to be a listening ear to friends in need and you get your pair of ears when you are in need.
5. Parents to wake up their idea – nobody love a punishment…try the carrot to push your child to excel.
6. If in financial problem call 1800-222-0000 for government sponsored financial assistance.