{"id":44777,"date":"2026-04-16T02:20:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T18:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=44777"},"modified":"2026-04-16T02:20:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T18:20:10","slug":"schools-in-singapore-to-get-more-funding-to-tackle-bullying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=44777","title":{"rendered":"Schools in Singapore to get more funding to tackle bullying"},"content":{"rendered":"


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SINGAPORE – Schools here will get additional resources to tackle bullying more holistically while managing teacher workload, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said on April 15.<\/p>\n

This includes funding so that schools can hire additional manpower \u2013 such as youth workers, pastoral care officers and parent liaison officers \u2013 to support school staff in student management, as well as tech tools to improve case management processes and facilitate timely communication.<\/p>\n

Educators themselves will get additional training in areas such as investigative skills, conflict resolution and parent engagement, added MOE.<\/p>\n

Supporting educators and deepening school capacity was one of four key areas that the ministry looked into in 2025 when it initiated a comprehensive review on bullying.<\/span><\/a> <\/p>\n

Previously, bullying cases were usually handled internally by school staff such as form teachers, counsellors and teachers in the student management or discipline committees.<\/p>\n

The other areas that MOE\u2019s review looked into were enhancing values education, strengthening school culture and processes, and improving schools\u2019 partnerships with parents.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

The issue of bullying sparked national conversations in 2025 after several bullying incidents surfaced online, including one case where three Primary 3 pupils sent death threats to a classmate\u2019s mother. The three pupils were suspended, and one of them was caned.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Parents and members of the public have called for more transparency in the way schools handle bullying, including the disciplinary actions taken. <\/p>\n

MOE said that following the review \u2013 which engaged more than 2,000 educators, parents, students and professionals \u2013 it developed nine recommendations to strengthen existing efforts to address bullying in schools, which will be progressively implemented from 2026.<\/p>\n

Apart from building schools\u2019 capabilities to manage cases as they arise, the ministry said it will implement a stricter disciplinary regime that will ensure greater consistency across schools as they handle serious student misconduct. A new online reporting system to flag bullying incidents will also be in place by 2027.<\/p>\n

During a visit to Teck Ghee Primary School on April 15, Education Minister Desmond Lee said that while the measures include a firmer disciplinary posture and increased support for teachers and schools, values education and character building still matter.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving had conversations with such a wide array of stakeholders and partners, upstream measures are equally, if not more important,\u201d said Mr Lee.<\/p>\n

This is why new Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) lessons will incorporate role-playing and authentic scenarios about bullying for both primary and secondary school students, he added.<\/p>\n

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Primary 5 students of Teck Ghee Primary School engaged in a Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) lesson themed “I can be an Upstander”. The lesson helps students muster up courage to stand up against bullying.<\/p>\n

ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Through these lessons, students will practise perspective-taking, conflict management and resolution, and learn how to become upstanders who intervene against bullying. <\/p>\n

During a Primary 3 CCE lesson that The Straits Times observed, pupils role-played a scenario of someone being left out of group activities.<\/p>\n

Form teachers then got the pupils to reflect on how they would feel if they were the ones who were left out, and what they could do to help their peers in this situation.<\/p>\n

Primary 3 pupil Chen Yuheng, eight, said such lessons involving role-playing make it easier to understand what being left out or being bullied looks and feels like, especially if a pupil has never encountered it before.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I just read about it, then it is just about someone doing the thing. When we act it out, then we can see the thing itself happening, so we understand it better,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

His classmate, Toh Le Qi, eight, agreed, adding that role-playing also gives her more confidence to do the right thing instead of being a bystander. <\/p>\n

Mr Lee said the idea of role-playing scenarios came from a parent who had attended one of the dialogue sessions for the bullying review.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the parents said, when incidents happen in school, why not use those actual examples as educational material for our children,\u201d Mr Lee recounted. \u201cIt becomes relevant to them, and salient, because it has happened in the school.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other upstream measures that will be implemented include age-appropriate training for peer support leaders to help shape school culture and address issues of hurtful behaviour and bullying.<\/p>\n

The goal is to empower students to take responsibility and recognise their agency in creating a respectful and caring school environment, said the minister.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will then allow a stronger partnership between the teachers and the students, to be able to see more upstanding behaviour, to see our teachers alerted early about problems before they spill over,\u201d added Mr Lee.<\/p>\n

An MOE spokesperson said the majority of those consulted during the review agreed that addressing a complex issue like bullying requires coordinated efforts. <\/p>\n