Primary school students in Hong Kong returned to classrooms this week amid a mixture of excitement and apprehension as the new academic year commenced. The Secretary for Education, Christine Choi Yuk-lin, highlighted the government’s focus on enhancing mental health support for students during a visit to the Hong Kong Taoist Association Wun Tsuen School.
Choi announced the launch of the Education Bureau’s latest initiative, the “Forging Relationships, Nurturing Well-being” campaign, aiming to foster student well-being and reduce incidents of bullying on campus. The campaign, which begins this month, includes a series of talks designed to assist parents, teachers, and pupils in adjusting to the challenges of the new school year. “We hope to create an environment where students can develop healthily in body, mind and spirit,” Choi said.
Among the students returning was Prabhleen Kaur, an 11-year-old Primary Six pupil born in Hong Kong, who expressed both enthusiasm and anxiety. While excited about the new opportunities, she acknowledged the pressure of upcoming Internal Assessment exams. “I feel pretty excited because it’s something new and I can’t wait for the future. But I’m also scared … of the challenges along the way,” she said. Prabhleen shared her goals to improve academically and remain active in extracurricular activities such as choir singing and English debate competitions.
Her friend, Liyana Samreen, also 11 and a Primary Six student, voiced similar concerns about secondary school placement. Having moved to Hong Kong at the age of two, she suggested forming study groups during breaks to better manage workload, stating, “Instead of playing more, we could study more.” Despite the academic pressure, Liyana was enthusiastic about reconnecting with classmates after the summer break and was optimistic about making new friends during her final year of primary school.
Younger students also displayed a range of emotions about the new term. Jayden Yan Pak-kiu, seven, a Primary Two student at the same school, admitted to feeling nervous, noting he had trouble sleeping the night before school started. His parents offered encouragement at the school gate, telling him “Don’t give up.” Jayden expressed a personal determination to work harder given the increased demands of his grade.
Both Prabhleen and Liyana mentioned looking forward to incorporating artificial intelligence technology into their learning, building on previous experience with projects such as model robot cars and digital animations.
During her visit, Choi reaffirmed the Education Bureau’s commitment to providing support through both “hardware and software” improvements to enhance the overall learning environment for students across primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong. The new campaign reflects ongoing efforts to prioritize student mental health and foster a positive school climate.