MADAM TAN ENG LIAN: 'The report, 'Help on hand for troubled students' (March 4), which followed up on the tragic death of university student David Hartanto Widjaja, is informative but begs the question: Could help have come sooner?

All polytechnics and universities should run a care workshop at the start of each academic year and continue running it regularly during the year. Such a workshop should get students to share their profiles and encourage them to open up.

This way, they know where to seek help. A professional counsellor or a trained and experienced officer from the Education Ministry should take charge of the programme.

Students who need help desperately should have direct access to such officers and counsellors.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times.