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The Education Bureau will review the three-tier emergency mechanism for student mental health to optimize operational details while maintaining current support services in the interim, Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin said.
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Speaking on a television program on Sunday, Choi said school principals indicate the mechanism, which was extended from secondary schools to upper primary levels on a trial basis, has proven beneficial for both students and schools.
With the trial scheme set to expire in August, the Bureau is exploring ways to maximize its effectiveness, she added.
(File photo)
Choi said over the past six months, there have been around 220 cases handled under the second tier, which connects schools to off-campus support networks, and that more than 90 of those involved upper primary students. Meanwhile, more than 90 cases were referred to the third tier for psychiatric services, including around a dozen primary school students.
The education chief said cases referred to the third tier stemmed from various factors, such as emotional and mental health issues, interpersonal problems, self-expectations, academic pressure and difficulties adapting to new environments.
She noted that while the overall framework of the mechanism will remain unchanged, the focus will be on improving coordination and fine-tuning details.
Regarding 15 primary schools recently barred from operating Primary One classes for the upcoming academic year, with around half of these schools having chosen to merge with others, Choi said that merged schools will be given a three-year transition period with necessary assistance from the bureau.
She encouraged school sponsoring bodies to combine resources to form stronger institutions.
