Tragic death over university fees must not happen again

Sukchaya hanged herself at her home in Sing Buri on Saturday - the day she was supposed to register as a student at the university. She couldn't come up with the money needed for the registration fee. Sad and heartbroken at her predicament, she took her own life.

Her tragic death jolted the entire nation and forced the country's education planners to take more seriously the providing of financial aid and counselling for students from poor families .

One can't help but wonder if a better information system could help keep hopes alive for people like Sukchaya. Yes, all universities, like government agencies, have websites. But a vast majority of these sites seems to care more about promoting their activities rather then putting the needs of students first.

Few university officials could give a clear explanation as to what potential students from poor families should do if their families could not pay fees required on registration day. Even at a state university, such fees can still be well over Bt5,500.

Sukchaya had already passed all the necessary tests to be a Silpakorn University student, but she just didn't have money to follow through with her dream.

Sadly, in an age where there is plenty of information at our fingertips, it is unthinkable that something like this could happen. Sukchaya's untimely death should have been prevented, and it could have been prevented. In fact, all universities have scholarships for needy students. But bureaucratic red tape requires that they be admitted as a student first. The government does have student-loan funds to help children who want to continue their education.

"There appears to be a gap," Student Loan Fund manager Thada Martin said, pointing out that his office could only reach out to students who had already registered themselves as students.

Right after Sukchaya's suicide, Deputy Education Minister Boonlue Prasertsopha immediately instructed the Office of Higher Education Commission (OHEC) to ensure that such a tragic case never happens again.

Information is clearly the key. Who knows how many children have lost their opportunity - in Sukchaya's case, her life - simply because they don't know how to access the financial help for their higher education?

It was only after Sukchaya's suicide received widespread news coverage that some other cash-strapped children stepped forward and publicly asked for help. Some of them are on the verge of losing their chance of becoming engineering and medical students. Although they are academically bright, their parents do not have enough money to pay for higher education.

"We now establish a centre to help children who don't have the money to qualify for registration," OHEC secretary-general Sumet Yamnoon said: "You can call the centre at 02-6105416-7, 02-576-5555 and 02-576-5777 around the clock".

Sumet said the centre is ready to help students cope not just with registration expenses but also relevant travel costs.

"Students can also contact the universities of their choices directly," Sumet said.

Chiang Mai University president, Pongsak Angkasith said he believed all universities could extend help to needy children who came forward. "Please contact the universities directly if you need scholarships or financial help," he said.

Pongsak said students at his university, for example, could apply for any of more than 1,000 scholarships and jobs available at the campus.

King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi president, Kraiwood Kiattikomol offered similar advice. He too said his university could offer scholarships and job opportunities to needy students.

"Talk to us before you think it's over," he said.

In Sing Buri's Tambon Ton Pho, Sukchaya was not alone in her lack of knowledge about many scholarships and on-the-campus jobs available to needy university students. Following her suicide, Sumet visited the area only to find that local authorities, local teachers and village heads there did not have the important information either.

"They explained that they didn't follow the news in this area," Sumet said.

He now urged local authorities to survey children in their areas and reach out to those who might need help.

"Timely advice is very important. Sometimes, OHEC or universities can't help the children because they have never contacted us," Sumet said.

OHEC has also instructed all universities to register new students immediately after the interview so that the children who passed the written tests no longer had to worry about how they could get money for the registration.

Sukchaya's tragedy serves as a reminder to all. To OHEC, the counselling facility needed to reach out to all students. To people in general, they should open their eyes to what is happening in society, or more students could be deprived of basic help, which could lead to another tragedy.

They should not have to wait for another Sukchaya to take her own life to get a wakeup call.