North Sumatra Student Commits Suicide Over School Supply Costs

A 16-year-old student in North Sumatra, Indonesia, has died by suicide, allegedly due to the economic hardship faced by his family and their inability to afford his school supplies.

The 10th-grade student, identified as PJS, was found dead in his home’s bathroom in the Simanindo district of Samosir regency at approximately 5:30 a.m. On March 30, 2026.

The teenager’s father, 63-year-old TS, reported that his son had gone to bathe before leaving for school. TS discovered the body after noticing a lack of noise coming from the bathroom.

Investigation into Economic Pressures

First Insp Ramadan Siregar, the Simanindo Police chief, stated that preliminary findings suggest the student may have taken his own life because of financial constraints. Investigators found that PJS had repeatedly requested school supplies from his parents, but these requests could not be met.

The victim is believed to have experienced stress and disappointment because his requests for school necessities were not met

First Insp Ramadan Siregar

Police officials noted that the case remains under investigation. The student’s father described PJS as a reserved and quiet teenager who rarely shared his feelings or the difficulties he was experiencing with others.

Living Conditions and Educational Barriers

The family resided in a 4-by-6 metre house described as being in poor condition, lacking adequate facilities and access to clean water. The father, who works as a farmer, struggled to provide for the family.

During his time in junior high school, PJS worked on the farm to help fund his education. However, the increased hours required for high school made it impossible for him to continue working.

Financial limitations also affected the student’s commute. Because the family could only afford a portion of the travel costs, PJS walked approximately 10km every day to reach his high school, which was located about 16km from his home.

Despite these findings, Jhon Suhartono Purba, the Head of the North Sumatra Education Agency Region VIII, denied that PJS had faced academic or economic difficulties while at school.