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The recent increase in suicides among Hong Kong primary and secondary school students has been referred to as a result of the challenges that follow after returning to pre-pandemic normality, education authorities said.
The city reported 25, 25 and 21 suspected suicide cases in 2022, 2021 and 2020 respectively in all primary and secondary schools, secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin told the Legislative Council on Wednesday.
However, this year at least 28 student suicides were reported which happened to be an increase of 12 per cent rise in contrast to last year.
“It is believed that the upward trend may be affected by the pandemic and the greater challenges facing students after the return to normality,” the Education secretary said.
The secretary came up with the analysed risk factors after the authorities reviewed the recent increase in suicide cases. “The major risk factors are related to interpersonal relationships including family, social, relationship and personal problems, such as learning and school adjustment, depressed mood and mental illness,” she revealed.
According to the Education Bureau chief statements, students may feel pressured by approaching tests and exams as they still need time to gradually adapt to changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hong Kong education authorities earlier announced they would give primary and secondary schools a grant of HK$80,000 (US$10,245) each to promote mental health and told them to review the workload of pupils after a surge in the number of teenagers who took their own lives, or tried to, over the last three months.
Choi on Wednesday said the total amount of the grants amounted to HK$80 million.
The bureau said school principals could then directly refer students with severe mental health needs to the psychiatric specialist services of the Hospital Authority, which would offer them priority.
In an earlier report, the bureau reminded schools to review pupils’ timetables and workload, as well as arrangements for assessments according to their abilities to ensure they had enough time and space to relieve stress.
Under normal circumstances, students spend an average of about seven hours in school every day, including two breaks lasting about 20 minutes each and a lunch break of about one hour.
“We call on all primary and secondary schools to review the current timetable by the … instructions, or consider extending recess and lunch times appropriately at certain periods such as before examination periods,” the bureau said.
If you have suicidal thoughts, or you know someone who is, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or +1 800 273 8255.
Additional reports from SCMP
香港教育局表示，疫情後的挑戰導致學生自殺率上升
教育當局表示，近期香港小學生自殺率上升，被認為是恢復疫情前常態後面臨挑戰的結果。
教育局長蔡玉蓮週三向立法會表示，2022年、2021年和2020年，該市所有中小 學分別通報了25起、25起和21起疑似自殺案件。
然而，今年至少有28起學生自殺事件，比去年增加了12%。
教育部長表示： “據信，上升趨勢可能會受到疫情和學生恢復正常後面臨的更大挑戰的影響。”
在當局檢視近期自殺案件增加的情況後，秘書提出了風險因素分析。 「主要的危險因素與人際關係有關，包括家庭、社會、人際關係和個人問題，如學習和學校適應、情緒低落和精神疾病。」她透露。
根據教育局局長的說法，學生可能會因即將到來的考試而感到壓力，因為他們仍然需要時間逐步適應新冠肺炎 (COVID-19) 大流行帶來的變化。
香港教育當局早些時候宣布，他們將向中小學各提供 80,000 港元（10,245 美元）的補助金，以促進心理健康，並要求學校在青少年自殺人數激增後重新審查學生的課業量。或者在過去三個月裡嘗試過。
蔡週三表示，贈款總額達8,000萬港元。
該局表示，學校校長可以直接轉介有嚴重精神健康需求的學生到醫院管理局的精神科專科服務處，醫院管理局將優先為他們提供服務。
教育局早期的報告提醒學校要檢視學生的作息時間和課業量，並因應學生的能力安排評估，確保他們有足夠的時間和空間紓緩壓力。
正常情況下，學生每天平均在校時間約7小時，其中兩次課間休息各約20分鐘，午休約1小時。
該局表示： “我們呼籲各中小學校根據…指示重新審視現行時間表，或考慮在考試前等特定時段適當延長課間休息和午餐時間。”
如果您有自殺念頭，或者您認識有自殺念頭的人，可以尋求協助。 對於香港，請撥打 +852 2896 0000 聯繫撒瑪利亞人，或撥打 +852 2382 0000 聯繫預防自殺服務。 在美國，請撥打 988 自殺與危機生命熱線：988 或 +1 800 273 8255。
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