21 October 2017
Singapore schools are taking steps to reduce stress in students after a recent study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) showed that local students are experiencing high levels of anxiety, especially over exams and grades.
In a recent Parliamentary session, it was also revealed that five out of every 1,000 students received counselling support to manage anxiety from academic stress last year.
In addition to providing counselling sessions, specific programmes have also been introduced to help students cope with life’s challenges, said a Ministry of Education spokesman. For instance, Singapore schools have introduced various activities like outdoor education, which are aimed at promoting students’ well-being.
According to MOE, students may feel anxious for reasons such as academic performance, health and relationships.
Holistic programmes are a preventive measure to dealing with stress and the key issue is about building resilience before stress presents itself as an overwhelming problem