12-year-old falls to his death in 19th student death of the academic year

The death of a 12-year-old boy in Tin Shui Wai this morning marks the latest student death in Hong Kong since the beginning of the academic year. Most reports from local media such as Apple Daily and the Hong Kong Economic Times suggest that this is the 19th such death in Hong Kong since September, although Ming Pao’s most recent tally reports the same figure as 17.

The Form 1 student reportedly fell from his 15th floor apartment at Tin Chung Court, and was found unconscious by a security guard at around 5am today. Paramedics arrived on the scene, but were not able to revive the boy, Apple Daily reports.

The case is being treated as suicide, and marks the third reported student suicide in four days in Hong Kong. 

Yesterday, a 15-year-old was found lying unconscious in Wong Tai Sin at around 12.11am, and is suspected to have fallen to his death from a shopping centre in Chuk Yuen South Estate. 

On Saturday, a 20-year-old Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) student was reported to have died in Fan Ling, becoming the fifth CUHK student to do so since the school year started in September.

Speaking to the SCMP, Professor Paul Yip, Director of the University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, attributed the abnormally high number of student deaths to changes in the education system that are increasing pressure on pupils.

The Progressive Teachers’ Alliance (PTA) released a statement yesterday evening lambasting the emphasis on competitive learning in Hong Kong, and called for better mental health services in schools.

In its statement, the PTA said the Education Bureau (EDB) should tailor its policies to better accommodate for students’ emotional wellbeing. PTA suggested the EDB set up a group to review its current system and allocate funds and resources to provide better mental health services for students “as soon as possible”. 

If you are experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts, please call the Samaritans‘ 24-hour hotline at 2896 0000 for help.
 

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