A cloud of grief has descended on Kaboson Girls Secondary School in Chepalungu sub-county, Bomet County, after a 17-year-old Form Four student died by suicide within the school compound on Friday, October 10, 2025.
According to reports, the student’s body was discovered in the school’s store around 7 a.m., after which the principal immediately notified local authorities. Police officers later transferred the body to the Longisa County Referral Hospital morgue for further examination.
Investigations revealed that the student left behind a suicide note addressed to a classmate, offering possible insights into her final moments. Sources indicate that she had reportedly been in conflict with her parents over academic performance — a factor that has reignited conversations about parental pressure and student mental health.
Speaking to local media, Erick Langat, a parent at the school, urged families to adopt a more compassionate approach when engaging with their children about education.
“All children are not the same; parents should be very cautious about how they handle their children,” Langat said.
He added that the tragedy should serve as a wake-up call to society on the need for emotional support and open dialogue between parents, teachers, and students.
Rising Suicide Cases in Kenya
The incident adds to a worrying trend of increasing suicide cases in Kenya, many of which have been linked to academic, marital, and family pressures.
Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that four people die by suicide daily in Kenya, with a crude suicide rate of 6.1 per 100,000 people. For every suicide death, there are an estimated 20 or more attempts, underscoring the scale of the mental health crisis.
Globally, about 727,000 people died by suicide in 2021, representing an age-standardized rate of 8.9 per 100,000. Nearly 73% of all suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where access to mental health support remains limited.
The report further highlights that men are more than twice as likely to die by suicide as women, though suicide remains a major cause of death among young people of both genders.
As investigations continue into the Kaboson Girls tragedy, education and health stakeholders are calling for stronger mental health awareness campaigns and counselling programs in schools to prevent similar incidents in the future.
