Secondary School Curriculum Now Includes Mental Health Tips With Emphasis on Peer Support

For the longest time, having mental health issues was seen as a weakness.

Ignorance and a lack of understanding make many believe that it is something you can simply shrug off or power through until it magically goes away.

But just like a physical ailment, mental illness needs to be addressed and treated.

The first step, though, is to learn more about mental health and the many psychological struggles one can face.

Secondary School Curriculum Now Includes Mental Health Tips With Emphasis on Peer Support

Fortunately, that’s exactly what young Singaporeans are doing now.

From 2021, mental health education has been included in the refreshed character and citizenship education (CCE) curriculum for secondary schools, along with a greater emphasis on peer support.

The plan, announced last year, could not have come at a better time, with all the anxieties of the Covid-19 pandemic weighing on us.

As Minister of State for Education Sun Xueling said: “Some of them may feel isolated or may be facing problems in the family at home”.

She noted that the pressure to maintain a facade on social media to keep up with peers can take its toll on young students.

“Through our CCE classes, students learn it is actually okay to not feel okay, and that they can talk to their friends, teachers, counsellors,” she said.

Educated About Coping Strategies

In the class, students watch videos of teens facing different types of pressure, be it at home or in school.

The students learn how to identify stress, when these feelings can become overwhelming, and the various coping strategies one can use to deal with them.

But that’s not all.

All Schools to Have Peer Support Networks By 2022

All schools will also have a peer support programme by 2022 to encourage students to watch out for one another.

Some schools, like Serangoon Secondary, have already begun this process.

It now has 26 dedicated peer support leaders – one per class – and aims to increase it to two per class next year.

With this network, students will always have someone to turn to for help when they’re in distress.

Suicide Leading Cause of Death for Those Aged 10 to 29

According to the Samaritans of Singapore, a social services organization, suicide is the leading cause of death for those aged 10-29.

400 lives were lost to suicide in 2019, three times the number than deaths caused by transport accidents that year.

In school, things like bullying and the pressure to succeed can also cause great distress.

That’s why it’s so important to not only learn coping strategies, but to have a friend to watch out for the warning signs that one might be in trouble.

This new programme will certainly go a long way in helping students take care of their mental health, something we’ve all ignored for way too long.

Featured Image: huntergol hp / Shutterstock.com