(MENAFN - Asia Times)
Two high-school students plunged to their deaths on the first school day of the new year, apparently because of stress from study pressure.
A 14-year-old girl jumped from Leung King public housing estate in in the New Territories on Tuesday morning, Sing Tao Daily reported.
Must-reads from across Asia - directly to your inboxIt was understood that the girl sent a WhatsApp message to a female classmate at 7am saying she 'wants to leave this world.' The classmate immediately called the girl's mother but it was too late, as the teenager had fallen from height at Leung Wai House on the estate.
The girl was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say they found a suicide note revealing that she had been under pressure from her studies.
The girl was a Form 3 student at Shun Tak Fraternal Association Leung Kau Kui College. Tuesday was the first day of school examinations.
The school vice-principal said the girl had been a member of the debate team and had an excellent study performance. She also had good relationships with her classmates.
The school has set up a group to provide counseling to students who need it.
Also on Tuesday, at 5pm, a 17-year-old male Form 6 student died in a fall at Tsz Hong Estate in Kowloon's Tsz Wan Shan area. He was sent to United Christian Hospital but was pronounced dead, Wen Wei Pao reported.
Police say they found a suicide note that said he was stressed out by family and academic issues.
The boy reportedly had a fair performance at his secondary school in Tsz Wan Shan. It was understood that he was worried about the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) examination, a prerequisite for university admission, which will take place in April.
Tsui Siu-man, supervisor of the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups' Wellness Mind Center, urged parents to pay attention to their children's emotional changes, especially if they appear too quiet, spiritless or confused, Ming Pao Daily reported.
She suggested that parents have breakfast with their children on the first day of school after a long vacation, chat with them and show them support.
The Samaritans run a 24-hour multilingual suicide prevention hotline +852 2896 0000 or e-mails can be sent to .
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