Primary School Stress in Hong Kong Threatens Family Happiness
Recent surveys conducted in Hong Kong, a special administrative region on China’s southern coast, revealed that families with children in primary school are the unhappiest group in the city. According to the happiness index conducted by the social enterprise group WeCARE, the family happiness score in the city rose to 6.91 this year, marking the first increase after three years. However, this increase still fell short of the 7.26 score recorded in 2021. Families with children aged 6-12 reported lower levels of happiness, which experts linked to the high academic stress in primary schools. Experts state that this stress affects not only children but the entire family dynamic. Families seeking admission into the “through-train” system, which allows students to transition to secondary school without reapplying, push their children into competitive environments at an early age. However, this further increases stress levels. Another study published by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth revealed that 63.5 percent of high school students showed signs of depression and 30 percent reported thoughts of suicide or self-harm. Although there are initiatives such as a three-tier intervention mechanism at the high school level, it was noted that similar systems are lacking at the primary school level. Experts emphasized the need for holistic policies that include not only schools but also families to protect children's mental health.
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