I refer to the article 'Suicides among kids and youth drop sharply' (ST, Jan 2).

It is heartwarming to note that the number of suicides among the young here has dropped over the years.

However, I still hear stories of kids experiencing distress because of exams and tests. As a result, many have lost interest in studying and study to ace their exams, not because they have a keen interest in learning.

Children become distressed when they fail to bring home grades that please their parents. Many also use their exam results as a measure of their self-worth and are affected by how their parents react to their grades.

One parent told me that her son lost all interest in his studies and even played computer games just days into his GCE O-level exams. During an earlier school exam, the teen had done badly and naturally, she was angry with him. He later told her that there was no point in studying because his results remained the same even though he put in so much effort. His interest in studying waned as his results deteriorated.

It is perhaps time to re-emphasise the joy of learning instead of just wanting kids to ace their exams. Often, a parent's expectation of his child's exam results may break or make him. And it may take many years of motivation to help the child regain his self-confidence.

With my daughter, who incidentally, is dyslexic, I have always avoided using exam results as a measure of her self-worth. I look at her strengths and often praise her non-academic achievements (which are many) so that she is aware that there is more to life than excelling in exams.

A key factor in suicides among kids is the family environment. Many kids today live in a dysfunctional family environment due to the growing number of divorces. Hence, many of the kids become disenchanted from young.

Kids growing up in such an environment will feel that something is missing in their families. If left unattended, such a situation may become chronic and some kids may develop mental problems later in life.

Nevertheless, I am glad to know that each school now has a full-time counsellor to handle students' affairs. It is a commendable act by the Education Ministry and I believe this has helped reduce suicides among school children here.

Gilbert Goh Keow Wah