Hong Kong education officials as well as health and youth experts are in a quandary over how to stop the rising incidence of youth suicides in the city. Since the academic year started in September 2015, up to 22 young students have taken their own lives in Hong Kong.

The Education Bureau, health professionals, and parents last Thursday expressed alarm over the increasing number of suicides among young people. The number of student suicides in this school year has already surpassed the average of 23 student suicides a year between 2010 and 2014, according to statistics provided by the University of Hong Kong's Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention.

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The youngest among the suicides in the current academic year was an 11 year old boy. The four most recent cases happened in a span of only four days.

                                                22 students                 

Out of the 22 students who committed suicide, 10 were university students, while the rest were enrolled in secondary school or high school.

Hong Kong education officials convened an emergency meeting with school boards, parents and stakeholders last Friday to disuss preventive measures to arrest the alarming situation.

Some of the short-term measures authorities have agreed to take include improving student counseling in schools, conducting seminars for teachers and parents to spot suicide signs earlier and forming a committee to come up with recommendations on preventive solution in six months.

Experts are divided on the real causes of youth suicide. Many have blamed the high-pressure education system, lack of family support, spending too much time in the virtual world, mental illness or 'weak resilience' to problems and stress as some of the reasons why the students chose to take lives own life.

                                                              Complex

Mental health experts claim that students are facing problems that neither their parents nor school officials may realize, adding that youth suicide is much more complex than it appears to be.

Experts have warned that spending too much time online and the absence of family support is contributing to the growing rate of youth suicide children develops a 'weak resilience' to handling problems and stress both at home and in school.

"This generation grew up with the internet. Although they are more connected, they also tend to look only at things they like. They might not understand complicated or different views on an issue. For anyone who sees things not fitting their taste, they could simply 'unfriend' them," says Dr Lee Sing, a professor of psychiatry at Chinese University.

                                                         Living in virtual world

"Many of them live in a virtual world, and in the real world they have nobody to talk to as parents are often busy," he noted.

Other psychiatrists blame parents for not spending quality time with their kids since they have to work full time. Parents are said to act as a sort of buffer against stress for children. Therefore, experts say when parents are too busy at work to care for their children, there is a lack of emotional support.

                                                        Education system

Angie Shum Kwan-yu, a clinical psychologist from the HKU centre, presented the other extreme of the problem saying the parents' overprotectiveness usually ends up greatly reducing their children's ability to handle problems and adversities.

"Whenever problems arise, these parents will help solve them or lodge complaints to school. These children will then not be able to endure difficulties," Shum said..

Of all the factors highlighted as the case of suicide among children and teenagers, the main concern of the Education Bureau remains Hong Kong's education system.

                                                 'Unattractive and arduous'

Mental health professionals claim the education system is weighing down these students who find the curriculum 'unattractive and arduous.'

Professor Paul Yip Siu-fai, who leads the HKU centre, said the sharp rise of suicides among college students reflects the negative outcome of Hong Kong's switch to a six-year secondary and 4-year tertiary educational system several years ago.

Yip said now students enter college at a young age and may not be that well-prepared emotionally and mentally

                                                   Younger age

"Students are entering university at a younger age. They might not be mature and prepared enough to deal with challenges and lack the closer network present in secondary school, for example," he says.

Figures from Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong indicates that its suicide hotlines received less calls from students under 20 years old this academic year.

Joyce Chow Yuen-fun, chair of the suicide prevention centre, listed some of the main factors that usually drives a student to commit suicide including academic pressure, family issues, emotional turmoil, financial difficulties, among others.

TagsHong Kong, 22 suicides, Hong Kong Education Board, Mental health professionals, tragedy, suicide hotlines, Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong, Angie Shum Kwan-yu, Joyce Chow Yuen-fun, University of Hong Kong's Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention