Apriadi Gunawan, Jakarta – A 16-year-old student in North Sumatra has taken his own life, allegedly after his parents were unable to afford his school supplies, marking yet another student suicide linked to economic hardship this year.

The 10th-grade student, identified only as PJS, was found dead in the bathroom of his home in Simanindo district, Samosir regency, at around 5:30 a.m. on Monday.

His father, 63-year-old TS, said the teenager had gone to bathe before leaving for school.

"However, I checked the bathroom after hearing no noise from inside and found him dead," he said on Tuesday.

TS said the incident was very shocking to the family, describing PJS as a quiet and reserved teenager who rarely opened up and never shared his feelings or the difficulties he faced with those around him.

Simanindo Police chief First Insp. Ramadan Siregar said preliminary findings indicate the student may have taken his own life due to economic pressures faced by his family.

Investigators found that the victim had repeatedly asked his parents for school supplies, but the requests could not be fulfilled due to financial constraints.

Source: https://asianews.network/indonesian-student-dies-by-suicide-over-inability-to-afford-school-supply