A Global Pandemic - How Covid impacted student mental health at Renaissance College

By Allison Tung

On January 23, 2020, the Covid -19 pandemic reached Hong Kong. As countries closed borders and accelerated vaccine development, the mental health of children and teens suffered greatly.

The pandemic’s impact on students is well recorded. Tracey Chitty, safeguarding and well-being adviser at the English Schools Foundation at ESF noted that, “The impact of Covid-19 on students in Hong Kong has been far-reaching, affecting many aspects of their lives. One of the most significant impacts has been on students’ mental health.” UNICEF also reports that “More than 330 million youngsters have been stuck at home, till March 2021, for at least nine months, since the virus spread uncontrollably this time last year.” During Covid, it was difficult for parents to calm their children's anxieties because of the uncertainty and stress in their own lives.

As for RCHK students, the pandemic meant big changes to their daily lives. The shift towards remote learning created a difficult environment for students to learn.“It was so hard paying attention during zoom.” one Y7 student shared, “I always got distracted because we were at home and there were no adults supervising me.” Interviews with various students reveal different coping mechanisms during Covid. Many students found solace in chatting with friends online, while others focused on themselves by doing exercise and enjoying their hobbies during this difficult time.

“I talked to my friends online in breaks between classes,” commented Alessia Houghton from 7.4.” We’d chat and support each other during the tough times.” Another student, Amy Eastment shared that, “ I learnt more about technology too - I kinda had to when we had to use it every day. I also learnt to manage my time better and set small goals for myself. It was all hard, but it kept me going.”

Yet, students also voiced a need for more enforced rules. Bryce Chua, a Y7 student also drew from his own experiences. “I played video games in class during Zoom. Honestly, it was surprising the teachers didn’t notice.” “The school made lots of rules like no chatting with friends but they didn’t do anything about it. I think they should talk about these more in

class to make people follow them.” A second student suggested.

In the wake of the pandemic, pastoral care all around the world has taken a backseat, but in Hong Kong, schools are increasingly focusing on both academic recovery and emotional and psychological wellbeing of students. “The Education Bureau (EDB) attaches great importance to the mental health of students, and has been proactively providing support for schools in adopting the Whole School Approach (WSA) at three levels, namely Universal, Selective and Indicated, to promote student mental health and enhance support for students with mental health needs (including those with suicidal risks).” Stated The Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. “The EDB also collaborates with other bureaux/departments and different stakeholders to take care of students with mental health needs and provide them with support in different aspects through cross-departmental, multi-disciplinary and cross-sector collaboration.”

These stories from Renaissance College show the important role schools play in student mental health during the pandemic. Their experiences show the need for more adaptive educational practices as the world moves on from the pandemic.