Pressure was too much for him, says mother of hanged Oxford student

Devastated: Gladys Kavuma with a picture of her student son John. She said he was a great role model for young black Londoners. She also said that universities should do more to help students who struggle
Felix Allen12 April 2012

A mother told of her heartbreak today after her student son committed suicide at Oxford University because of the pressure to get a first-class degree.

John Ddungu, 20, was found hanged in his room at Lady Margaret Hall four days after a meeting with his tutors, who were concerned about his work.

Today his mother Gladys May Kavuma, 51, told the Standard how her only son had put enormous pressure on himself to score top grades and in the end it was "just too much".

The social worker from South Norwood said: "To lose my only son like this is devastating. John was my best friend. He was honest, kind, a perfect gentleman.

"He was also an achiever, and knew exactly what he wanted. He could do anything he put his mind to.

"I was so proud of him. He was a great role model for young black men in London. I never pushed him but he took every opportunity and grabbed it with both hands. He had high expectations for himself and his future success was guaranteed."

Ms Kavuma, originally from Uganda, was a single mother on a modest wage but saved hard to send her son to private schools, first Whitgift in Croydon, where he was a prefect, and then Christ's Hospital School in Sussex.

He gained 13 A*s at GCSE and four As at A-level, winning a place to study chemistry at Oxford. In the weeks before his death he had spoken of changing course or leaving the college, saying his work left him little time for socialising and other activities. But neither his mother nor his friends guessed he was suicidal.

"I thought the pressure was just too much for him. He was missing other things in life.

"He came home a week before he died and we talked about his options. But he was always determined to be a success, to get the top grades, and said he would carry on.

"I think there is something missing at Oxford. All the students are high achievers but when they get there they find the work is harder than they thought and the pressure to get a first is very strong."

She said universities should do more to help struggling students.

An inquest heard this week how the second-year student, who had been on his way to a 2:1 degree, was found in his room in February.

Earlier that week, Mr Ddungu had been called in to a meeting with his tutors as he had failed to complete an assignment. They thought he had a "touch of the blues" but had no idea he was suicidal.

A suicide verdict was recorded.

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