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The 16-year-old River Valley High suspect's previous suicide attempt was a "real cry for help", President Halimah Yacob wrote in a Facebook post on July 23.

The head of state was reflecting on the River Valley High incident, and said Singapore society is "ill equipped" to deal with mental health matters.

"Attempted suicides are a real cry for help"

In her post, Halimah mourned for the parents who lost their 13-year-old son after he was allegedly killed in school by his older school mate, calling it "a great tragedy".

"A young life lost with promises and hopes unfulfilled. No words can describe how the parents who had lovingly nurtured this child only to so suddenly have him snatched away are feeling now, and how they can recover from that pain."

However, Halimah also empathised with the 16-year-old suspect and his family, and said she could not help "feeling sorry" for them too.

Court proceedings revealed that the older boy had a prior episode of mental breakdown two years ago, where he was referred to the Institute of Mental Health for a suicide attempt.

While the reasons for the boy's mental breakdown, and what was done to help following his episode, remain unclear, it is known that the impact of mental illness is more severe for youths than for someone "who gets it much later in life", Halimah wrote.

The president added: "Attempted suicides are a real cry for help."

"Ill equipped"

In addition, Singapore society is ill equipped in handing mental health matters, wrote Halimah.

She added: "We do know however that parents, schools and our society are ill equipped to deal with this situation."

Parents might not be able to identify the source of their children's feelings and frustrations accurately as it could be a "phase" due to "growth hormones raging through their bodies" or it could run deeper.

In addition, parents with children suffering from mental health issues, who require time off from school to rehabilitate, might be put in a dilemma where they are unsure of what to do with their child.

In such instances, the president raised the question if there are programmes that would support the parents and meaningfully engage the children in question.

Teachers also might not have the bandwidth to closely monitor, observe and engage, on top of their work responsibilities, and deep dive into the issues affecting a child.

At the same time, while there might be a school counsellor, that person might not be "well trained on issues affecting mental health".

Halimah wrote: "Schools need a lot more resources and support to help students with mental health issues."

In addition, there remains "so much ignorance, stereotype, and prejudice against people with mental health issues" in society, where mental health attracts a "terrible stigma".

Parents, in turn, delay seeking treatment for their children to avoid doing more harm than good to their children's future.

This, according to the president, is a "disastrous" consequence.

On top of this, Halimah wrote society imposes high expectations for children, especially on those who excel academically.

"We expect to see a linear progression in their performance with no interruption whatsoever, like some well oiled machinery. Parents compare all the time. We often say that a well developed, healthy child is better than a troubled child who seem to be shooting all As but is suffering, but we actually send different signals to them."

Start thinking about youth's mental health

The president wrote that the incident has opened up the conversation to "start thinking deeply again about the mental health of our young".

"Most of our children can cope, are resilient and will grow up well. But not all children are the same. Some do need more help and not just from the school but from everyone."

For a start, Halimah suggested that schools can partner with social service agencies that focus on mental wellness and can facilitate programmes that educate students on mental well-being.

Schools can also learn from and tap into the programmes on mental health that some institutes of higher learning have in place to support their students, which the president said are quite effective.

Halimah also wrote that the experience of other countries, with more developed systems of mental health support can also be studied and referenced.

The Minister for Education, Chan Chun Sing announced in a Facebook post on July 23 that he will deliver a Ministerial Statement addressing the support for schools and students in need next week.

"There are understandably concerns from parents and our community, on what is being done to support our schools and look out for students in need. I will be delivering a Ministerial Statement in Parliament next week to address these."

You can read the president's post here.

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Top image from Halimah Yacob/FB and Cute Cat/Google Maps