CYBER/GAMING CAFES

CYBER/GAMING CAFES:

(Measures to prevent students from patronising): 8.

Ms Ellen Lee asked the Minister for Education in view of the proliferation of cyber/gaming cafes, especially in the heartlands and within close proximity to schools, what measures or controls has the Ministry implemented to prevent students from patronising them and/or from becoming obsessed or addicted to cyber gaming and related activities and exhibiting delinquent behaviour.

The Minister of State for Education (Mr Gan Kim Yong) (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, Sir, MOE recognises the potential influence cyber activities may have on our students. We have adopted a proactive approach to educate our students on the risks of cyber addictions and on responsible use of the Internet. Schools also actively advise students against frequenting computer games centres or cyber cafes.

In addition, MOE provides a Cyber-wellness Framework to support and guide schools in planning their cyber-wellness programmes. Using this framework, schools plan and implement school-based programmes and instructional materials to suit the needs of their students. These programmes could take the form of assembly talks, workshops or they could

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be infused into the curriculum. For example, issues of cyber-wellness and Internet safety are used as contexts in the Civics and Moral Education (CME) lessons where appropriate. In these lessons, teachers are encouraged to use current and real life examples as context for discussion of issues of cyber-wellness and Internet. For example, at Ang Mo Kio Secondary School, topics, such as blogging, Internet gaming and cyber bullying, have been included during the CME lessons. Teachers in the school share strategies and approaches among themselves in dealing with these topics in their classrooms. Their focus is on promoting cyber-wellness and guiding their students in applying good values when using the Internet. MOE is in the process of preparing a cyber-wellness resource kit to complement the schools' efforts.

Other than the Cyber-wellness Framework, schools also use the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Framework to develop the social and emotional competencies of students. This includes educating students against cyber addictions through exercising self-control over their own behaviour and actions.

Our schools' Full-Time School Counsellors have undergone training on managing addictive behaviour, including cyber addiction. Schools also draw on the support from external agencies and organisations. For example, Touch Community Services, supported by partners such as National Youth Council (NYC) and National Committee on Youth Guidance and Rehabilitation (NYGR), has been conducting cyber-wellness programmes for our schools, as well as for parents. Schools welcome and value the involvement and support of parents to play their part in the prevention of cyber addictions and delinquent behaviours.

MOE will continue to monitor and review the situation and see how we can better support our schools in their efforts

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to educate their students on cyber-wellness.

Mr Speaker: Ms Lee, your next Question.

Ms Ellen Lee: Sir, can I ask a supplementary question?

Mr Speaker: You are covering three Ministries over the same issue, Ms Lee.

Ms Ellen Lee: Yes, I understand that, Sir, and I would like to take this opportunity ---

Mr Speaker: The last question from you, please.

Ms Ellen Lee: Yes. Sir, I just want to declare my interest that I am asking this question because a nephew of mine who is only 12 years old is already very much addicted to computer games operated by LAN centres. Because of that, he has also incurred a lot of debts, so to speak. That is why I am asking the question of the three Ministries. And I want to know from the MOE's point of view whether, despite having set up all the wellness programmes, the discipline masters in the schools are empowered to deal with any of the students who are caught in all these LAN centres gaming away during school hours and sometimes within the proximity of the schools as well.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: Mr Speaker, Sir, our schools adopt a variety of approaches. Some schools would use their discipline masters, teachers or even parent volunteers sometimes to visit some of the shopping centres and shopping malls around the school to ensure that their students do not misbehave. Sometimes, they received information and went to check on these cyber centres. Once the students are discovered to have cyber addiction, the schools will usually counsel them and try to understand better the problems that these students face. Sometimes, the issues are not just because of

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cyber addiction. There could be many related issues, such as family background, influence by peers as well as other issues like stress, and so on. These are all related issues. So the schools have to take a holistic approach. Through our Full-Time School Counsellors, we take a pro-active approach to counsel these students and find ways to help them. So I would like to encourage Ms Lee to ask her nephew to approach the school. We will work with the school, his parents and families to find different ways to help him. As the circumstances are quite unique in each case, it would be difficult to generalise exactly how we approach the issue. But, in general, we can say that the schools do take a very serious view and, whenever we come across such problems, we will try to take a pro-active approach through our counselling framework, our schools and teachers as well as other partners in this area to extend a helping hand to the family as well as the student involved.

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CYBER/GAMING CAFES:

(Measures to minimise obsession or addiction): 9.

Ms Ellen Lee asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports in view of the excessive proliferation of cyber/gaming cafes in the heartlands and within close proximity to schools, what measures are being taken to minimise obsession or addiction by children, youths and students to cyber gaming and related activities at these establishments.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (Mr Teo Ser Luck) (for the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports): Mr Speaker, Sir, while cyber gaming can be an engaging hobby, it is important that young Singaporeans do not become addicted to it and, worse, at the expense of their studies and other

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pursuits. To address this issue, my Ministry supports various Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) in their initiatives to help youths, and their parents, take a healthier approach to cyber gaming.

As the Minister of State Mr Gan Kim Yong has mentioned, TOUCH Community Services started Project CRUSH (Cyberspace Risks and where U Seek Help) in 2001 to educate students on cyber-risks and equip them to better manage their time and handle any negative effects of their online experience. Casework and counselling services are also provided for youths who face specific addiction problems, such as addiction to cyber gaming. Since its inception, Project CRUSH has reached out to more than 130,000 secondary school students. Other VWOs, such as Fei Yue Community Services, also provide cyber-wellness and counselling services to youths.

More recently, TOUCH Youth was commissioned by the NYGR and NYC to conduct a series of cyber-wellness workshops in conjunction with the World Cyber Games 2007 to encourage youths to adopt a balanced lifestyle. The workshops, which also targeted parents, provided information on the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between the real and virtual worlds.

We are also helping parents and educators. In 2005, under an initiative by the National Committee on Youth Guidance and Rehabilitation (NYGR), the National Youth Council helped to develop a guidebook for parents, youth developers and educators on the potential online risks faced by young people. The book carries practical tips on how to help young people manage these risks. Copies of the guidebook have also been sent to all primary and secondary schools, tertiary institutions and voluntary welfare organisations. They are also given out to parents during cyber-wellness talks organ-

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ised by schools and youth organisations. NYGR has also established a fund to encourage VWOs and Youth Organisations to run cyber-wellness programmes.

Whilst NYGR works with various VWOs and community partners to help our youths strike a healthy balance between cyber gaming and their studies and other pursuits, the role of the family, especially the parents, cannot be over-emphasised. I understand that it is not easy for parents, but they must make the effort to spend time with their children to help them develop good judgement and the right values so that they do not spend excessive time on cyber gaming to their detriment.

The industry is also doing its part to tackle this issue. The Singapore LAN gaming centre association - the Private Network Alliance (PNA) - has made it their responsibility to set up a monitoring system to track the usage of individual customers, and to train staff to identify and counsel customers who seem to spend too much time on gaming.

Global trends indicate that cyber gaming is here to stay. Cyber gaming is, however, not a bad activity in itself. It can help keep youths engaged, encourage creativity, and develop quick thinking skills. But the issue is one of balance and education, so that youths maximise the benefits and manage the risks properly. The solution lies in inculcating in people the right values so that they can exercise discretion and good judgement while enjoying these games and reap the benefits. In this respect, industry players, schools, parents, VWOs and the Government all have their roles to play so that young people can enjoy cyber gaming in a healthy manner.