Mbengwi: Death of Female student Sparks Discussions About Mental Health Support in Schools

The town of Mbengwi in Cameroon’s North West Region has been thrown into mourning following the death of a female student of Government High School Tudig, who, according to hospital officials, passed away on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, after consuming a poisonous substance.

Local sources told MMI that the student had appeared distressed in recent days, though she reportedly kept her struggles to herself. Friends say she had asked them about strong anti-rat chemicals, claiming rodents were troubling her household.
A few hours after returning from school on Tuesday, she began complaining of severe stomach pains. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, prompting neighbours and relatives to rush her to the Mbengwi District Hospital. Medical staff confirmed she died shortly after arrival.

News of the incident spread quickly, drawing large numbers of residents to the hospital in search of answers. The student left no written message and did not disclose to anyone what might have driven her to take such an action, leaving her family and friends devastated.

In deep grief at the family compound, her parents struggled to understand what had happened. The mother, inconsolable, questioned why her daughter felt unable to confide in her. The father, weeping, expressed his anguish and a desire for clarity about the circumstances that may have contributed to her death.

The student was buried later that same evening, in keeping with local customs.

This tragedy is the second suspected suicide involving a student in Mbengwi within the past three months. In September, a student of Presbyterian High School Mbengwi also died in similar circumstances. The recurrence has intensified community concerns over the emotional well-being of young people, particularly learners navigating the pressures of school life amid the prolonged socio-political crisis in the region.

Education stakeholders say the incident underscores an urgent need to strengthen psychosocial support systems in schools, including the presence of trained guidance counsellors, mental-health awareness programmes, and trusted reporting channels where students can safely seek help.

Community leaders and health workers in Mbengwi are urging families, schools, and local authorities to work together to create safe spaces for young people where stress, trauma, and emotional difficulties can be discussed without fear or stigma.

MMI News