COMPULSORY COUNSELLING FOR PRIMARY 6 STUDENTS

Mdm Cynthia Phua asked the Minister for Education if he will consider compulsory counselling sessions for Primary 6 students who have to cope with the stress of the Primary School Leaving Examination.

RAdm Teo Chee Hean: MOE adopts a comprehensive and systemic approach in ensuring the psychological well-being of pupils.

Though there is no compulsory programme for Primary 6 pupils, schools do pay particular attention to pupils at important stages in their school lives, such as when they first join a school, or during examinations. Schools do have various programmes for all students such as orientation and dealing with examinations. These are in effect mass counselling sessions though they do not have a compulsory or standardised format among the schools.

In parallel with these counselling and psychological support programmes that cater to all pupils in a school, schools do provide more focused counselling support according to the needs of the pupils. Such counselling support is available in school for pupils from Primary 1 through to JC2/PU3. Every school has a counselling referral system in place to facilitate the early identification and extension of help to pupils with problems. All teachers are first-line care-givers and given training in Basic Counselling Skills so that they may provide immediate basic counselling to pupils in need. Pupils with more difficult problems are referred to Teacher Counsellors of which there are two in each school. The Teacher Counsellors are trained in more advanced counselling skills and crisis intervention. Pupils with serious problems are referred to MOE Guidance Specialists, school counsellors or external professionals.

Children and teenagers go through significant developmental changes and may face different difficulties at different stages in their development. Teachers would have knowledge of their pupils and would be able to help identify pupils who need counselling.

We should also not forget that it is not just the school, but also the home environment that contributes to the overall psychological well-being of our children as they grow up.