Debated in Parliament on 8 Sep 2026.
Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan asked the Minister for Education regarding quarterly student well-being surveys (a) in which year were they introduced; (b) whether they are administered in all primary and secondary schools and pre-university institutions; (c) which published or validated instruments are the questions based on; (d) whether teachers or students complete them; and (e) whether school-level results are shared with the Ministry.
I will answer Oral Question No 2914 and 2967, and also written Question No 2007 on today's Order Paper. [Please refer to "Trends and Follow-up Actions from Schools' Quarterly Student Well-being Surveys", Official Report, 8 September 2026, Vol 96, Issue 35, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
The Ministry of Education (MOE) introduced online check-in sessions in 2020 to better support student well-being across primary, secondary and pre-university levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, MOE has provided schools with age-appropriate resources comprising student check-in surveys and activities, conducted every school term. The survey responses enable teachers to better understand their students' well-being, and to provide appropriate support. This could be in the form of a conversation with the Form Teacher or further intervention when more serious concerns are raised.
The survey questions are designed by MOE. A small number of questions are adapted from established instruments, but the survey is not a clinical diagnostic or screening tool. As the surveys cover a range of items, the proportion of students flagged through them should not be interpreted as overall well-being levels or prevalence of mental health concerns. It is therefore also not a measure of whether student well-being has improved or worsened over time. School-level results are available to MOE and are considered alongside other indicators in informing MOE's support for schools.
At the system level, MOE monitors youth well-being trends through a range of indicators, including local research studies, such as the Youth Epidemiology and Resilience Study and the Institute of Mental Health's National Mental Health and Well-being Survey.
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