Fourteen Primary 4 to 6 pupils were referred to Hospital Authority psychiatric specialist services between December 2025 and June 2026 under a trial of Hong Kong’s Three-Tier School-based Emergency Mechanism.
The mechanism, previously used in secondary schools, was extended to upper-primary pupils considered to be at higher risk of suicide. The nine-month trial is scheduled to end in late August 2026.
Langton Cheung, honorary chairman of the Hong Kong Aided Primary School Heads Association, said the number of referrals showed the mechanism was necessary. He called for the trial to continue for at least another year before it is reviewed and potentially enhanced.
Cheung said the education sector hoped the system could eventually be introduced as a regular arrangement gradually, rather than remaining a trial. His comments represented a call for continuation; the supplied reports do not say whether the government has agreed to extend it.
He also stressed the importance of parents recognising children’s mental-health or emotional problems, giving consent where needed, and working with schools on follow-up and early intervention.
Cheung said the mechanism includes a dedicated consultation hotline through which school principals can seek professional advice, providing reassurance to schools. The reports did not give outcomes for the 14 referred pupils, the total number of participating schools or pupils, or details of the criteria used for referrals.