John Lee advocates for addressing root causes of student's mental health issues
Just half a month into the new school year, three instances of student suicides have occurred. Before attending the Executive Council meeting, Chief Executive John Lee expressed his sorrow over the student suicides. He pointed out that although the government has established a "Three-Tier School-based Emergency Mechanism" to assist some troubled students, the system still has room for improvement.
Lee noted that the number of cases handled under the second level of the mechanism is less than those under the third level. He acknowledged that schools are deeply concerned about their students and often categorize situations as urgent, even when it might not be necessary. This includes enabling principals and teachers to better understand the circumstances, with the support of social work networks, to resolve issues naturally.
He emphasized that the mechanism must exist, but the most important aspect is addressing the root causes of the problems. The pressures faced by students include family issues and sometimes a reluctance to share their struggles, highlighting the need to empower students to handle their problems more effectively.
Lee suggested that academic pressure might be one of the stressors, and these students must often internalize their issues. A community-wide effort is necessary, hoping families and neighbors can advocate for students seeking help.
Lee also mentioned that the Education Bureau has introduced the "4Rs Mental Health Charter" to reduce student stress. He also stressed the importance of family and parental education, noting that the government can offer workshops to teach parents how to better interact with their children and continuously review and improve these measures.
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