A university student jumped off a building and died after he was caught cheating in an examination on Saturday (6 June), reported Shanghaiist.
The 20-year-old surnamed Shi, who studies at the North University of China, had been looking at a cell phone hidden underneath his desk during a make-up examination when he was caught by the invigilator.
Shi’s test paper was taken away and he spent 20 minutes crying on his desk before leaving the room. He headed to the top of the building and jumped to his death after sending a final text message to his mum which read, “sorry”.
Shi’s family members have since come forward to accuse the university, noting that the invigilator had failed to comfort Shi as he cried on his desk before ending his life.
“We admitted that it was my cousin’s fault to cheat on the exam, but that doesn’t mean the university should avoid responsibility for the tragedy which happened on campus during school hours,” one of Shi’s relatives said.
On Tuesday (9 June). the university’s president addressed the incident and told reporters that the teacher had done nothing wrong.
The incident has since become one of the hottest topics on Chinese social media with many saying that the boy had been too pressured to keep up with his parents’ expectations.
“Maybe the student’s parents were too harsh on him growing up thus culminating in him constantly feeling like he was carrying the world on his shoulders until he just could not bear it any longer,” one netizen commented.
“Too much pressure on him that’s why he cheated but he got caught cheating and end his life. And that is because of the family. The family is to be blamed for,” another commented.
University examinations can be really tough and students need all the support they can get, whether it is from their family or from their teachers.
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