Training and Courses for Counsellors Deployed to Schools
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the certification and training standards for school counsellors, as Dr Shahira Abdullah questioned the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) use of personnel not certified by the Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC). Minister Chan Chun Sing explained that untrained recruits must complete a specialized Diploma in School Counselling at the National Institute of Education (NIE) to ensure they are equipped for the educational setting. He highlighted that NIE possesses extensive expertise in school-based counselling psychology and offers a Master's programme that is already recognized by professionals and the SAC. The Minister clarified that registration with the SAC is a voluntary process rather than a mandatory professional requirement for practitioners in Singapore or for MOE’s own school counsellors. As the SAC is not an official accreditation or licensure body, MOE prioritizes training that meets the specific developmental needs of children and youth over external registration.
Transcript
36 Dr Shahira Abdullah asked the Minister for Education (a) what are the reasons behind the Ministry’s decision to deploy counsellors who have not attended programmes that are fully certified by the Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC) as training for registered counsellors; (b) how does the Ministry assess the adequacy of training provided under NIE’s Diploma in School Counselling programme vis-à-vis the national competency assessment framework for counsellors; and (c) whether there are plans to gradually upskill all school counsellors to attend fully certified and recognised programmes by SAC and qualify as a registered counsellor.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: MOE recruits both trained and untrained applicants for School Counsellors (SC). Untrained applicants undergo the Diploma in School Counselling (DSC) programme conducted by the National Institute of Education (NIE) before they are deployed as SCs in the schools. The DSC programme is specially designed for school counselling to equip the trainees to work effectively and meet the needs of our children and youths in the educational setting.
NIE has a wealth of knowledge and experience in research and training in counselling psychology within the school context. They have been offering the Master of Arts (Counselling and Guidance) programme since early 2000, which is recognised by professionals and the Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC).
Counsellors in Singapore are not required to register with SAC as it is not an accreditation or licensure body. MOE too does not require School Counsellors to register with SAC. Registration is voluntary.