bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

quizIds

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

paywallTypes

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Elizabeth Cheung

Hong Kong will launch a pilot scheme in nine schools in the next academic year to prevent student suicides after an official committee tasked to study the troubling issue found that 85 per cent of such cases involved relationship problems with peers and family.
The Committee on Prevention of Student Suicides submitted its progress report to the education minister on Friday, recommending 11 preventive measures including nursing support and extra funding for schools.
The committee was formed in late March following a wave of student suicides in the last school year.
Secretary for Education Eddie Ng Hak-kim said his bureau hoped to “take special measures” and make arrangements to match “the needs of schools and students”.
Youth suicide: Relationship problems involved in seven out of 10 deaths in Hong Kong
But educators and parents’ concern groups said the committee’s report still failed to tackle the root of the problems stemming from the education system.
The committee, chaired by the University of Hong Kong’s Professor Paul Yip Siu-fai, conducted an unprecedented analysis of the 34 student suicide cases between September 1, 2013 and April 30 this year.
About 85 per cent of the cases, covering youngsters aged 10 to 20, involved relationship problems, mostly concerning family issues such as conflicts with parents.
About 60 per cent of cases involved school adjustment issues, such as transferring to a new environment or repeating a grade.

“The data showed that reasons behind each ­student suicide case were very complicated,” Ng said. “More than 90 per cent of cases were in fact caused by multiple factors.”
Half of the 11 measures will be introduced from the start of the coming school year, before the ­release of a full report in late October.
The two-year pilot scheme, to be run jointly by multiple departments including the Food and Health Bureau and the Education Bureau, will ­boost support in schools for students with mental health needs.
“I think it is very important that teachers, social workers as well as parents can be trained so that they will be more confident and have the necessary knowledge to identify the symptoms of students who have some emotional problems,” health minister Dr Ko Wing-man said.
“They could pick up the problematic students at an early stage to allow prompt intervention.”
27 per cent of Hong Kong pupils think of suicide or self-harm, 63 per cent have sleeping disorders: Paediatric Society survey
Two senior psychiatric nurses from the Hospital Authority will pay regular visits to the nine schools taking part in the first phase, to assess students’ ­mental health and offer consultation to teachers and parents.
Each school can seek a maximum HK$150,000 in funding to host activities to raise the fun factor, boost morale and help people unwind.
Teachers will also receive “gatekeeper training” to learn how to identify students with problems.
Fung Pik-yee, principal of the Aplichau Kaifong Primary School in Ap Lei Chau, was unimpressed.
“The report did not identify the root of the ­problem, which is the immense pressure in the exam system now,” Fung said.


When a family of five died tragically in a murder-suicide in 1999

Alarm over Hong Kong student suicides, but minister rejects calls for counsellors

15 suspected student suicides in Hong Kong so far this year, set to surpass 2024 rate

More support needed for Hongkongers left bereaved in suicide cases: experts

Suicides in Hong Kong

Nine Hong Kong schools chosen for pilot scheme to prevent student suicides

Education Secretary Eddie Ng outlines measures aimed at cutting the number of student suicides. Photo: Sam Tsang

Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention Director Professor Paul Yip Siu-fai attends HKU Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention to hold 'Connected for Life' press conference at University of Hong kong. 29JUN16 SCMP/Dickson Lee

To prevent student suicides, all of Hong Kong has to fight the battle – each and every day

It’s easy to blame pressure arising from our exam-orientated education system. Photo: SCMP Pictures

A woman uses a mobile phone in front of Line Corp. logo with its popular animal characters during a press conference of Line Conference Tokyo 2016 in Urayasu, near Tokyo, Thursday, March 24, 2016. Line Corp., which offers a popular mobile message and online voice-call service, is entering the mobile carrier business in Japan, promising to underprice competition, as it plans to keep growing as a platform for news, music, games, live streaming and online shopping. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Public housing blocks are seen in Hong Kong, China December 15, 2015. Hong Kong is bracing for greater economic challenges as the prospect of a new cycle of interest rate rises drives fears of capital outflows that could put further pressure on the Asian financial hub. Hong Kong's property market, which has seen prices more than double since 2008, had already slowed in anticipation of a local rate hike, and analysts say a further slowdown will depend on China, which is facing its weakest growth in 25 years. Picture taken December 15. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

After Hong Kong’s spate of student suicides, we should all act as digital Samaritans for those in need

Social media can serve us well by helping us connect with each other but it can also be a bad master which dominates our lives. Photo: Shutterstock

Secretary for Education Eddie Ng Hak-kim speaks to media after an meeting on recent suicide case at the Central Government Office in Tamar. 10MAR16 SCMP/ Sam Tsang

Eden Yeung, 19, who is second-year university student at a local university, thought of committing suicide three years ago before reaching out for help at Samaritan Befrienders, poses for photography at The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong office in Shek Kip Mei. 08OCT13

27 per cent of Hong Kong pupils think of suicide or self-harm, 63 per cent have sleeping disorders: Paediatric Society survey

Primary and secondary students in Hong Kong are suffering physical and mental problems from the stress of the schooling system. Photo: SCMP

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Committee studying student deaths recommends extra funding, training and support services to identify and tackle problems following 34 student suicides over last three school years
