Wider talks called for over rash of student suicides

Frontline school social workers called for talks between all concerned – including young people – on the spate of youth suicides which has hit Hong Kong.

In all, 22 students have killed themselves since school started in September.

And on Friday the education bureau met school representatives, while the social welfare department separately met social workers to discuss damage control measures.

“The Education Bureau introduced measures [on Thursday] without talking to the school social workers. [The bureau and the schools] do their own thing, and we do ours – a good solution on a youth issue will need all of our expertise together, not separately,” said a social worker who did not want to be named, who attended the meeting of representatives from the 34 NGOs providing secondary schools with social workers.

Another social worker said many in the meeting echoed those thoughts, and stressed there should be an opportunity where all parties could sit down and discuss not just increasing psychological support, but reforming the education system which had been a source of immense stress for students, parents and teachers.

Since September last year to Wednesday, 12 secondary pupils – as young as 11 – and 10 university students have killed themselves.