Training and Help for Teachers to Cope with Stress

Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Minister for Education (Schools) (a) what services or mechanisms are available to teachers to resolve disputes between parents and teachers; (b) how does the Ministry address work-related stress faced by teachers; and (c) what services are available to teachers who cater to their psychological well-being.

Our schools seek to establish positive and mutually respectful partnerships with parents. In doing so, they are supported with resources, such as a Parent Engagement Guide, and teachers are also given training in parent engagement skills. In cases where teachers need help in engaging parents, they can seek advice and guidance from their school leaders. When needed, school leaders will engage the parents directly.

With regard to work-related stress, measures have been put in place to support and guide schools in teacher work allocation. We also regularly review resources provided to schools, including manpower support, to ensure that schools are able to implement their programmes well while keeping the work assigned to teachers manageable. In addition, teachers are provided with protected vacation time to enable them to rest and recharge.

Our teachers are strongly encouraged to share and discuss their concerns about workload with their supervisors and school leaders. Should they need emotional and psychological support, there are dedicated professional counsellors within the Ministry of Education who provide counselling support to individual teachers. These professional counsellors also conduct workshops for teachers in areas, such as managing difficult conversations and work with the teachers on stress management.

The well-being of our teachers is important and we will continue to support them in managing their work and workload.