After visiting Tuen Mun Secondary School, Choi said early identification of students at high risk of suicide or with mental health issues allows them to quickly access professional counseling or treatment services.

By the end of the summer holidays, more than 280 cases had been reported under the first stage of the “Three-Stage Emergency Mechanism in Schools”, launched in December last year.

Another 120 students were placed in the second category, she said, and schools were referring cases to an off-campus support team set up by the Department of Social Welfare. The mechanism was to run until the end of the year.

Asked if the Education Bureau would make it a permanent measure to provide ongoing support to students, Choi said: “At this stage, we will communicate with schools to understand their needs and discuss with our staff the best way to assist those students in need.”

Interim data from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Suicide Research and Prevention Centre at the University of Hong Kong showed that the suicide rate among 15- to 24-year-olds increased from 6.2 to 12.2 deaths per 100,000 people between 2014 and 2022.

The highest suicide rates were recorded in Japan, South Korea and the United States, where the rate was as high as 16.8 per 100,000 people.

Authorities believe the rise in youth suicides is due to factors such as the pandemic and the obstacles students have faced as the city returns to normal.

In April, the office also launched the 4R Mental Health Charter, which focuses on rest, relaxation and building relationship skills and resilience in students. As of July, 420 of 927 primary and secondary schools had signed up for the voluntary charter, accounting for 43 percent of all schools, Choi said.

“I know that different schools have their own mental health support programs. I believe that as these programs are consolidated, more schools will join the 4R program,” she said at Tsung Tsin College, one of the schools that has signed up to the program.

A survey conducted by Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service between November 2023 and April 2024 found that 20 percent of 1,600 secondary school respondents had symptoms of anxiety and depression.

The main causes of stress include research and concerns about the perception of one’s own appearance.

Thomas Fung Chak-tong, a social worker who heads the school’s NGO team dealing with child and adolescent mental health, said many students are reluctant to seek help for fear of being stigmatized and having their parents called to the school.

He noticed that more than half of students judge themselves harshly when they perform poorly or when their results do not meet their expectations.

“This mindset is strongly linked to symptoms of anxiety and depression. Students should learn to be less hard on themselves and set a plan to achieve their goal step by step, but not hope that it will be done overnight,” he said on the radio program.

In turn, schools could allow students to take on certain positions of responsibility on campus, such as a librarian, which would help them build a sense of belonging and resilience, he added.

Michelle Chan Yuen-tung, a psychologist and counsellor at the Hong Kong Red Cross, said more young people were seeking mental health help ahead of the start of the school year.

“They prefer to seek professional help outside of school rather than go to family or social workers because they want to talk to a stranger who has a more neutral perspective,” Chan said on the same radio show.

Chan said people struggling with mental health issues often adopt a “rigid mindset,” focusing on results, while a “growth mindset” values ​​the learning process, which helps manage stress.