Students in Schools and Institutes of Higher Learning Seeking Help from Counsellors for Stress and Anxiety

Ms Anthea Ong asked the Minister for Education (a) in 2018, what is the total number of students in schools and Institutes of Higher Learning who sought help with counsellors due to stress and anxiety; and (b) what is the current student-counsellor ratio in each school.

Counselling issues vary in causes and complexity, and schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) have varying ways of tracking them. We estimate that in 2018, around 10 out of every 1,000 students at schools and IHLs received counselling support for anxiety or stress-related issues. These issues include relationship, personal struggles, family disputes or academic difficulties. We do not have macro-level specific breakdown for anxiety or stress-related counselling issues.

Today, all schools are resourced with at least one to two school counsellors, while all IHLs are resourced with at least two to three counsellors. They are, in turn, augmented by part-time Ministry of Education (MOE)-trained school counsellors, para-counsellors, Flexi-Adjunct School Counsellors or Teacher Counsellors.

MOE is looking into upstream work, such as training of teachers in mental health literacy and preventive programmes, for vulnerable/at-risk students. All teachers are already equipped with basic counselling skills and serve as frontliners in supporting students with socio-emotional needs. Mental health is an issue to be taken seriously and requires the concerted efforts of educators, counsellors, parents and peers.