Skip to main content

FM
Former Member

14-Y-0 kills self in Berbice after being embarrassed by School Teacher

September 11, 2015 1:14 pm Category: latest news A+ / A- 
Joshua Beepat

Joshua Beepat

[www.inewsguyana.com] – As the world observed Suicide Prevention Day, a 14 – year – old boy hung himself inside his parents’ garage on September 10, 2015.

Dead is Joshua Beepat also called ‘Jags’ of Third Street, Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Region Six; he was discovered hanging in the garage by a rope from the neck by his mother at approximately 04:00 hrs.

Initially, the family was at a loss as to what might have led the teenager to commit such an act; however his father, Ramnauth Beepat, eventually found out that his son was embarrassed by a teacher at the Lower Corentyne Secondary School earlier in the week after he reportedly touched a female classmate inappropriately.

According to the distraught father, the teacher scolded his son in front his classmates, who then began teasing him for quite some time and if that wasn’t enough, the child was further embarrassed during the school’s Assembly when the teacher spoke about the issue.

The family is calling on the Ministry of Education to investigate the report, pointing out that although they are hurt and upset at the loss of their son, they do not want another child to face a similar situation.

iNews understands that Regional Officials visited the family and promised to investigate the report.

On Thursday, Minister of Public Health, Karen Cummings called for the media to play a more proactive role in creating awareness on suicide as well as putting the spot light on preventative measures.

The Minister, who was at the time speaking a forum in Black Bush Polder, East Berbice pointed out that according to information obtained from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the suicide rate worldwide is 7.3 per every 100,000 persons.

Whereas, in Guyana it is 44.2 per 100,000 persons, making it the country with the highest suicide rate in the world. This according to her is “absolutely unacceptable…and our government, my government, your government, our government is committed to working on this problem”.

The Minister also pointed out that studies have proven that farming areas usually have the highest suicide rates, since pesticides and chemicals are easily accessible. Further, she noted that it has also been noted that the victims are often of East Indian decent.

Minister Cummings further highlighted that the Ministry is working along with several partners to create a policies and documentations to guide the approach towards reducing suicide in Guyana.

Replies sorted oldest to newest

The teacher should be suspended pending an investigation. Embarrassing a student at that age is a prescription to death. Thankfully, the parents get a break on the cause of him taken his life, presumably from the victim's class mates.
FM
Originally Posted by Cobra:
The teacher should be suspended pending an investigation. Embarrassing a student at that age is a prescription to death. Thankfully, the parents get a break on the cause of him taken his life, presumably from the victim's class mates.

 

Correct.

 

otherwise the PNC would have arrested the parents to save face.

FM
I know this question is not for me, but I am obliged to say the I wouldn't put race above a child's death. The method of discipline is totally wrong. The teachers today are not trained to deal with child's psychology like the old days.
FM
Originally Posted by Cobra:
I know this question is not for me, but I am obliged to say the I wouldn't put race above a child's death. The method of discipline is totally wrong. The teachers today are not trained to deal with child's psychology like the old days.

My "old days" are older than your old days. What young Joshua Beepat experienced at the hands of his teachers is mild compared to what my generation and earlier pupils had to go through.

Some of us had to drop our short pants and bend over a desk in front of the whole class to take 6 brutally stinging lashes from male and female, Indo and Afro teachers.

Even at Central High School when I was in Form 2B, a Portuguese teacher called Miss Farnum put me one morning to stand on the desk with folded arms because I failed to do homework. Before the period ended I fainted and some classmates caught me before I hit the floor. Miss Farnum asked another teacher named Mr Samah to drive me home immediately.

I couldn't complain to my guardian about what Miss Farnum did because I would have got a whipping at home too. And then, if my guardian had passed on the news to my parents, I would have suffered yet another whipping. Triple whammy.

Despite such practices by teachers in the 1960s and earlier, never did a pupil commit suicide.

FM
Most of what you experienced in school, myself and others on GNI can attest to the same experience. I had to kneel down on two drinks cork on the egged side for hours as punishment, but it wasn't embarrassing because it happens to the entire class one time or another. Girls usually get benching like boys.
FM
Originally Posted by Cobra:
Most of what you experienced in school, myself and others on GNI can attest to the same experience. I had to kneel down on two drinks cork on the egged side for hours as punishment, but it wasn't embarrassing because it happens to the entire class one time or another. Girls usually get benching like boys.

That's the point. Other kids might laugh you today but tomorrow their turn for licks would come. Everyone waited his/her turn to be embarrassed by Miss or Sir. We all took it in stride and have lived to tell the tale.

FM

Reflecting on my younger days as students,thoughts of

suicide never comes to our mind,i was 15 yrs in Form 3,

got my dose of six lashes bending over on the desk in

front of the class,the students were quiet as a mouse

any taunting by any of  the class students would have

resulted getting the same punishment.

 

 

 

 

Django
Last edited by Django

When I was given the chance of bending over a chair for my lashes, that's the day I walked out of East Ruimveldt Sec after telling Mr Tate to go do it to himself. That prick was going to whip me in front of two women (parents)

 

cain
Originally Posted by cain:

When I was given the chance of bending over a chair for my lashes, that's the day I walked out of East Ruimveldt Sec after telling Mr Tate to go do it to himself. That prick was going to whip me in front of two women (parents)

 

Suh you was a wutliss bhai,you had lot a courage.

Django
Originally Posted by Django:
Originally Posted by cain:

When I was given the chance of bending over a chair for my lashes, that's the day I walked out of East Ruimveldt Sec after telling Mr Tate to go do it to himself. That prick was going to whip me in front of two women (parents)

 

Suh you was a wutliss bhai,you had lot a courage.

Did something similar at Brickdam (StMary's) with bald head Fidel, he got threatened by my older bro' he warned Fidel if he ever did his usual to me..hitting on the back with a cane, he'd receive a sound thrashing, that man never touched me.That banna was a mad man with a cane.

cain

Add Reply

×
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×