Released a draft of guidelines called UMMEED to prevent student suicide in schools

Tags: National

Guidelines named UMMEED (Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathize, Empower, Develop) to prevent student suicides in schools were recently introduced by the Ministry of Education (MoE).

An Overview of the News

• The primary goal of the guidelines is to help schools improve sensitivity, understanding, and support toward students who may have reported suicide or suicidal thoughts.

• Schools are advised to set up School Wellness Teams (SWTs) led by the school principal, whose members are trained to deal with crisis situations.

• When a student exhibits warning signs related to self-harm or suicide, it is mandatory to immediately report the case to SWT for immediate action.

Teacher and Family Orientation:

• Schools are encouraged to hold an annual orientation for teachers and family members.

• The purpose of these orientations is to increase awareness of student suicide and to equip various stakeholders with the necessary knowledge and skills to support at-risk students.

Immediate response to warning signs:

• The guidelines emphasize the importance of immediate response when a student displays warning signs or attempts suicide.

• Any individual from the school or any member of the wellness team who encounters such a case should follow the prescribed actions outlined in the guidelines.