Hong Kong reports 86 student suicide cases over three academic years
Hong Kong's Education Bureau reported 86 suspected student suicide cases from 2023/24 to 2025/26. The government is enhancing support services, including a three-tier emergency mechanism and better training for school professionals, to prevent further tragedies.
Hong Kong's Education Bureau reported on 7 October 2026 that a total of 86 suspected student suicide cases were recorded across primary and secondary schools over the three academic years from 2023/24 to 2025/26. Education Bureau Director of Education, Yeung Siu-ling, said the proportion of cases involving students aged 15 or younger was 60 per cent, 67 per cent and 65 per cent in each of the three academic years respectively. She added that the reasons behind each case vary.
In a written reply to a lawmaker's question, Yeung noted that the Committee on Child Death Review has published six reports since 2013, detailing observations and recommendations regarding child deaths. The government has implemented a three-tier emergency mechanism in secondary schools since late 2025, and is piloting it in primary school grades four to six during the 2025/26 and 2026/27 academic years.
From 1 December 2023 to the end of July 2026, the mechanism's second tier, an off-campus support network, received 855 referral cases for follow-up. The third tier, involving the Hospital Authority's psychiatric department, handled 547 referrals from school principals. A university evaluation commissioned by the government found that schools generally welcomed the mechanism and considered it necessary, with the mechanism proving helpful for students already identified as having mental health issues.
The government plans to enhance the mechanism's effectiveness by strengthening training for school professionals, including school social workers, student counsellors and school-based educational psychologists. This aims to facilitate early identification and support for students with higher suicide risk. The government will also improve the online youth support team's function, enhancing collaboration with schools and community networks to address students' emotional and psychological needs, and provide immediate assessment and follow-up for cases involving high suicide risk or emotional distress.
The government said it will continue cross-departmental and cross-sector collaboration to strengthen synergies, and will conduct timely reviews and studies as needed to improve support effectiveness and prevent student suicides.