Liu Aiping, Party secretary of the China International Youth Exchange Center, said at the meeting that the emphasis that "it is a life failure if you don't get into a prestigious university" should be rectified to alleviate the anxiety of students, parents and teachers.

Ma Jinglin, principal of Beijing No 4 High School, suggested building a management system involving the family, school and hospitals to ensure smoother communication concerning students' mental health.

Gao Jinfeng, the principal of an education group in Taizhou, Jiangsu province, said the education ministry could initiate with other departments the building of an individual mental health archive for every student in the country.

Authorities responded to those concerns during the meeting. The education ministry has listed 20 major tasks regarding the issue, including establishing a platform to monitor students' mental health.

The Cyberspace Administration of China said more effort will be focused on online guidance for teenagers' mental health. The National Health Commission will continue training professional psychologists and strengthening the popularization of mental health knowledge, it said.

zhaoyimeng@chinadaily.com.cn