Ministry of Education Integrate mental health programmes into school system
More attention should be paid to the finding that more than 70 per cent of 15-year-old students in Singapore expressed concern about failure (15-year-olds in S'pore have a greater fear of failure than those abroad, Dec 4).

With the societal emphasis on academic and intellectual achievements, students in Singapore have one of the highest levels of stress in the world.

My plea is that as a community, Singapore must address student mental health in a comprehensive manner.

The Programme for International Student Assessment also found that 26 per cent of students in Singapore reported being bullied at least a few times a month.

It is crucial that young people in Singapore have better coping mechanisms to manage stress, anxiety and depression arising from multiple causes, including school bullying. Improved parent-school partnership is also a vital part of the support system.

Occasional talks in schools on mental wellness that scratch the surface are not sufficient. Effective integration of mental health programmes into the school system and stronger ground implementation are critical.

With mental illness more prevalent in young people, are Singapore schools equipped to tackle this mental health crisis among the youth?

I hope that the Ministry of Education can look into these areas:

• Improve the student-counsellor ratio for early identification and care of at-risk students.

• Introduce mental health literacy as a compulsory part of teacher training.

• Review delivery and enforcement of mental health strategies and protocols in all schools, including strengthening the role of principals and teachers in mental health management.

• Elevate character and citizenship education to carry equal weight along with vocational guidance.

• Strengthen peer support so that students with mental health challenges can seek help in a non-judgmental space.

Ho Geok Lan
Co-Founder
Please.Stay Movement

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/integrate-mental-health-programmes-into-school-system

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