Education ministry issues draft guidelines called UMMEED to prevent student suicides

In a bid to combat the rising cases of self-harm among students, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has released a set of draft guidelines for schools.

Titled 'Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathise, Empower, Develop' (UMMEED), the guidelines focus on enhancing sensitivity towards and support for students who may be at risk of self-harm.

The draft guidelines stress that 'Every Child Matters' is the foundational belief driving their development for the prevention of student suicides.

It further explains that when students cannot manage their personal social issues, the consequences often involve feelings of sadness, dissatisfaction, frustration, mood swings,



hopelessness, and at extreme ends, self-harm, including suicide.

The UMMEED guidelines suggest schools form a School Wellness Team (SWT) and identify the students who exhibit warning signs.

It encourages immediate response and supportive measures for such students. Various aspects covered in the draft include 'Myths and Facts about Suicide', 'Factors Influencing Suicide', and 'Warning Signs of Students at Risk'.

Schools are advised to regularly reconstitute the SWT, considering the resources at their disposal, to ensure all stakeholders have the chance to build awareness and capacity. The effectiveness and functioning of the SWT should also be reviewed annually.