Zhang Qian

    zhqcindy@163.com

    CHOOSE 10 random Chinese students from a classroom. Chances are, two of them are suffering from mental health issues.

    To bring awareness to this problem, Shenzhen schools are holding a Mental Health Awareness Week beginning next week. With a theme of “Peer Counseling” this year, the weeklong campaign aims to highlight the value of helping other students.

    Ever since the local government released documents last July about primary and secondary school students’ development, students’ physical and mental health have become top priorities for many schools.

    Over 22 percent of students in China are suffering from mental health problems and 35 percent of students show signs of a psychological disorder, Fan Kun, deputy director of the city’s education bureau, said while delivering a speech at Thursday’s launch ceremony.

    “A healthy physical and psychological condition is the base of everything for a student,” said Fan. “It is crucial for all schools, teachers, parents as well as the students themselves to face existing or underlying mental health problems together.”

    Last year, the Shenzhen Municipal Education Bureau issued instructions requiring all public schools to focus on promoting eight qualities in their students. The eight qualities include morality, physical and mental health, learning ability and creativity, among others.

    Since then, students’ mental welfare has come into focus. Many schools have set up counseling systems to offer help for students.

    “We believe that peer counseling is an efficient strategy to tackle and prevent mental health problems. Students tend to approach their peers or friends when they encounter obstacles,” said Fan.

    Many schools, including Shenzhen Second Senior High School and Luohu Foreign Language School, have established peer-based systems to help students in distress reach out.

    “The Blue Cabinet is one of the most popular places in our school for us to seek professional help,” said Wang Zhuolin, a sophomore at Shenzhen University, who graduated from Shenzhen Second Senior High School two years ago.

    During the Mental Health Awareness Week, students will organize various activities, competitions, parent-child communication events as well as performing dramas on the topic of mental health. The education bureau will award prizes to the best scripts and performances.

    Schools are also focusing on physical health with a “Sunshine Sports” campaign.