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Student mental health drive starts

August 25, 2016

Secretary for Education Eddie Ng has launched the Joyful@School Campaign for the 2016-17 school year to enhance awareness of student mental health.

 

He told 400 principals, teachers and student guidance personnel from primary and secondary schools today the campaign will disseminate mental health messages through radio programmes and social media.

 

It will encourage schools to organise activities to enhance the understanding of mental health among teachers, students and parents.

 

Schools can apply for the Quality Education Fund to organise activities for students, Mr Ng said, encouraging them to strengthen the bridging programmes for Secondary One and Four students by adding promotion of mental health elements and enhancing students' adjustment ability.

 

Director of Health Dr Constance Chan said a Department of Health survey found 10% of respondents aged from 12 to 17 had symptoms of severe psychological distress during the month of the survey being conducted, and about 40% rated their mental health status within six months as fair or worse.

 

The Education Bureau will enhance the mechanism for transferring students' information to new schools to promote school-parent communication for students to receive appropriate support to adjust to a new environment.

 

The Food & Health Bureau will set up a multi-disciplinary platform with the Education Bureau, the Hospital Authority and the Social Welfare Department to help students with mental health needs and advise teachers and parents.

 

The Joyful@School Campaign is among the 11 recommendations of a report submitted by the Committee on Prevention of Student Suicides to Mr Ng last month.



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