Mental health in focus as China vows crackdown on school bullies amid rising underage crime, suicide rates

Ministry of Education to launch thorough investigation of all primary and secondary schools to detect risks of ‘student bullying’

Upgraded monitoring for pupils’ psychological well-being and stronger school-hospital collaboration also in the works, ministry statement says

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Crimes committed by under-16s in China have increased by more than 16 per cent annually, official data show. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 8:00am, 28 Apr 2024

China has pledged a nationwide crackdown on campus bullying amid rising cases of juvenile delinquency and suicide in primary and secondary schools, with added focus on the mental health of minors.

The Ministry of Education will also train students, teachers and parents on the laws targeting campus violence, as well as improve disciplinary measures and accountability mechanisms.

In a statement of Friday, the ministry said it would launch a thorough investigation of all primary and secondary schools to detect the risks of “student bullying”.

There would be added focus on strengthening the mental health of pupils, the statement said, with an upgraded system to monitor their psychological well-being and stronger collaboration between schools and hospitals.

The move comes as China tackles a rise in juvenile crime, including alleged murders by schoolchildren, as well as suicides attributed to mental health issues.

Last month, three middle school students in Hebei province near Beijing allegedly killed and buried a 13-year-old classmate they reportedly had long bullied. The three accused are all under 14 years old.