Silent Cries in Darussalam: A sobering look at the student suicide crisis in Banda Aceh, where financial strain, trauma, and silence cost young lives.

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Silent Cries in Darussalam: Student Suicides and the Crisis in Banda Aceh

Kamaruzzaman Bustamam Ahmad

The recent rise of student suicides in Banda Aceh reveals a deep crisis at the heart of the city’s academic life. Behind each tragedy lies a hidden story—of financial pressure, broken families, predation, and despair. Drawing from decades of experience teaching in Darussalam, this essay exposes the social and institutional failures that push students to the brink. It is a call for universities, families, and society to break the silence, protect the vulnerable, and rebuild Banda Aceh as a city of knowledge rooted in compassion. The silent cries of our students must finally be heard.