Sleep Sufficiency Trends Among School-going Children and Adolescents

17 Dr Choo Pei Ling asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the Government tracks trends in insufficient sleep among school-going children and adolescents; and (b) what measures are being considered to improve sleep health.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education (Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi) (for the Minister for Education): The Ministry of Education (MOE) monitors sleep sufficiency by surveying Primary 5 and Secondary 3 students. Based on the latest survey in 2025, Primary 5 and Secondary 3 students reported getting seven hours of sleep on average on school days, with a slight increase compared to 2023.

In schools, students are taught healthy sleep habits, self-management and time management skills through Physical Education, and Character and Citizenship Education lessons. For example, students learn about the recommended sleep duration and good habits such as setting regular sleep hours, and avoiding caffeine and digital devices before bedtime.

Starting from January this year, the personal learning devices for secondary school students have been set by default to go into sleep mode earlier at 10.30 pm.

Parents too play an important part in role-modelling and developing healthy sleep habits. MOE, in partnership with KK Women's and Children's Hospital, has engaged parents on practical ways to support students' sleep health through engagement sessions with medical experts on sleep matters. Through MOE's social media platforms, parents are regularly supported with tips to better manage children's screen use before bedtime.

MOE will continue to work with other Ministries and agencies through Grow Well SG to help our children inculcate healthy sleep habits.

Mr Speaker: Dr Choo.

Dr Choo Pei Ling (Chua Chu Kang): Thank you, Speaker. I have two supplementary questions. The first one, beyond sleep quantity, has the Ministry considered assessing sleep quality as well? Secondly, has the Ministry considered piloting later school start times for older students and what factors would guide such a decision?

Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi: Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for her supplementary questions as well as her concern with regard to sleep in our students.

Certainly, in the context of sleep quantity, it is a proxy for the ability to sleep and maintaining a healthy sleep routine at home. We do not have data with regard to their sleep quality at this point of time.

On her question with regard to later school times, as mentioned in our Committee of Supply in 2026, earlier this year, in terms of school start times, schools are given the autonomy to decide on their start time. They start no earlier than 7.30 am.

In determining school start times, schools do take into account specific context and trade-offs that arise with pushing back start times. For example, when we push back school start time, it would also mean that lessons might continue well into the afternoon when it can also be hot and humid, and perhaps less ideal for learning. School dismissal time will also be delayed, and after-school and inter-school programmes could also be impacted.

I ask that we take a balance with regard to school start times and give the schools the specific autonomy to do so.

More importantly, we want to be able to engage our students in inculcating healthy sleep habits, including self-management and time management skills. At the same time, it is also about working with our parents, engaging them to role model and develop healthy sleep habits at home. And therefore, allowing our students to be able to rest well before they engage in a day of school thereafter.