The Education and Manpower Bureau said it received calls from eight schools seeking help and counseling services.

The bureau said one teacher is confirmed dead and eight students are reported missing.

One of the schools affected is St Joseph College, whose Secondary Two student Marco Lam is missing with his parents in Phuket.

Vice-principal Peter Ip said he knew Lam was missing after he heard media reports on New Year's Eve.

Staff and students at the school prayed for Lam and victims of the disaster during morning prayers, he said.

The school has invited counselors from the bureau and the Hong Kong Family Welfare Association to speak to the children to help them cope with the disaster.

``I cannot guess how the students feel about losing a schoolmate,'' the vice-principal said.

``His classmates in particular may feel strange when they see his empty chair and desk.

``We certainly need the help of counselors,'' he said.

Ip said some students have made donations and others have scoured Internet sites to upload information about Lam to the school's website.

``They are looking for ways to help the victims,'' Ip said.

Two brothers, aged five and three, studying at Victoria (Southorn Horizon) International Kindergarten, and their mother are also missing on holiday in Phuket.

Vice-principal Au Mek-yuk said psychologists have been invited to counsel staff and classmates.

Staff members have also visited the family of the missing children to tell them what government assistance is available.

She said the school has informed parents about the missing brothers but not all the students attending the kindergarten.

``Some parents asked us not to tell their children, fearing they may not be able to cope with the news as they are too young.''

Also reported missing in Phuket is a Primary Four student, Lo Chi-ping, from Pui Ching Primary School.

The school held a crisis management meeting on Monday morning with the help of counselors from the bureau.

Counseling was also conducted at the German-Swiss International School where biology and information technology teacher Markus Knoesel was confirmed to be among the dead in Thailand.

Schools that were not affected by the disaster used the first day back from the holidays as an opportunity to teach their students about the value of life.

The English Schools Foundation said on Monday it will organise a fund-raising activity for victims of the disaster.

teddy.ng@globalchina.com