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

Hong Kong’s education minister has dismissed suggestions to introduce counsellors at schools to address students’ mental health concerns, arguing that the issue should be tackled through concerted efforts across campus, rather than relying on a single individual.

Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin told lawmakers on Friday that primary and secondary schools in the city had reported 11 suspected student suicide cases between January and April this year. This follows 28 such cases in the whole of 2024.

Most lawmakers at the Legislative Council’s education panel meeting described the student suicide situation as serious. Choi attributed poor mental health among young people to the impact of the online world.

“The current online world affects the health of teenagers in many ways, including insomnia and character development. Playing video games, echoing or attacking each other on social media has a very bad impact on the mental health of teenagers,” she said.

“Spending too much time [online] also affects brain development.”

Choi suggested a “whole-school approach” to address the problem, with personnel collaborating with various professionals to provide students with comprehensive support and services.