SINGAPORE: Guidelines on screen use will be introduced in schools, including preschools, as part of a new national strategy launched on Tuesday (Jan 21) to address children’s health.
The national health promotion strategy - Grow Well SG – seeks to improve preventive care and inculcate healthier lifestyles in children and adolescents, according to a joint release issued by the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) on Tuesday.
During a media briefing on Monday, MOH said local cohort studies have led to more studies on children’s health behaviours and their impact in the short as well as long term.
This includes studies on how the central nervous system and brain developments are associated with screen use as well as how inadequate physical activity has resulted in poorer body mass index (BMI) or obesity problems.
“We’ve reached a critical point. We have enough evidence that prompts us to want to do something than to wait for more evidence to come up,” said MOH.
For a start, the new strategy will focus on children aged up to 12 years old but will be extended to older children subsequently.
As part of the strategy, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will update its code of practice for preschools, effective Feb 1, to mandate no screen use for infants up to 18 months.
This follows research indicating a strong association between screen use and cognitive development in infants and toddlers, with inappropriate and excessive use leading to poorer language skills and shorter attention spans.
Under the revised code of practice, screens can only be used for teaching and learning purposes for children aged 18 months to six years.
At the media briefing, MSF clarified that most preschools currently do not use screens in their care for infants.
"These new screen use requirements are actually reflective of practices in preschools today, but the inclusion of the screen use requirements in the code of practice formalises these practices, which are already widely adopted by preschools, and also makes clear to preschools what they should not screen as time fillers to occupy the children," said MSF.
Responding to questions from reporters about what happens if a preschool does not comply with the code, the ministry said it will provide guidance and support to preschools in the first six months of implementation, adding that it will not take a punitive approach during this period.
"After that, for preschools who do not comply … ECDA will then direct them to cease this practice and also to take further regulatory actions if the children’s well-being is being compromised," MSF said, adding that regulatory actions could include warnings.
MOH has also updated its guidance on screen use for children, which includes limiting screen use to less than one hour a day outside of school for those aged between three and six.
For those aged between seven and 12, the ministry recommended less than two hours a day of screen use, unless related to schoolwork.
It also discouraged parents from giving children unrestricted access to mobile devices, or any access to social media services.
When asked if the stricter guidelines could make parents - who give their children more than the recommended amount of screen time - feel guilty, MOE said: “Being a lot more explicit is useful because … it's not just a choice that you make, it’s the harm that you actually do to the children down the road.”
“When they come to us in schools, we do already see that … the harm has already been done so it’s to complement the whole range of resources.”
MOE also provided more detailed guidelines on managing students’ use of smartphones and smartwatches in primary and secondary schools.
For example, schools can set up dedicated storage spaces for students to deposit their phones before the start of lessons, while the use of mobile devices can be limited to designated areas and at certain times such as during recess or after school.
During a press conference at Temasek Primary School on Tuesday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung noted “very good” evidence, both internationally and locally, that shows that inculcating good lifestyle habits in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life - around two years and nine months - can actually have a profound impact on them even as they grow up.
(From L to R
Minister of State for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung and Minister of State for Education and for Manpower Gan Siow Huang at the Grow Well SG press conference on Jan 21, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
He explained that the strategy is being introduced now because screens, social media, and smartphones are playing an increasingly significant role in shaping children’s lifestyles and health.
“For many of us growing up, we never experienced that. So given all these changes, I think we should do something as soon as we can,” he said.
“We need to understand what is the impact on health, on education, on the way we do work and then tackle it as soon as possible. I think that should be our approach in tackling some of these changes.”
Citing local studies that highlight the long-term benefits of building healthy lifestyle habits from a young age, Grow Well SG will also target poor nutrition, inadequate sleep, and insufficient physical activity through focused interventions.
MOH will introduce personalised health plans for Primary 1 to 3 students during their annual school health screenings this year. These plans comprise lifestyle change recommendations, school health screening results, vaccination reports and referrals to public healthcare institutions when needed.
Parents can access their child’s health plan via HealthHub and, later this year, create a profile page for each child on Healthy 365 to receive personalised recommendations on building healthy habits.
MOH said it is studying the progressive rollout of the health plan to include children from other age groups and will provide more details when ready.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Minister of State for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling, and Minister of State for Education and for Manpower Gan Siow Huang sitting in on a school health screening briefing at Temasek Primary School on Jan 21, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
The ministry will roll out a new checklist featuring questions on children’s health behaviours, which will be incorporated into childhood development screenings.
According to the media release, this will help to raise parents' awareness of healthy behaviours that children should adopt from an early age.
The checklist will also provide a common and systematic base of questions for their healthcare provider to consistently review and guide them to better health. More details will be released in the coming months.
The Health Promotion Board (HPB) will provide all primary schools with data on their student population's health and lifestyle from the third quarter of this year. This will help schools provide "targeted" interventions for students who have greater health needs and educate them on appropriate healthy behaviours.
To promote healthier meals in schools, HPB said it will also step up efforts to help canteen vendors purchase lower-cost cost, healthier ingredients directly from manufacturers participating in its Healthier Ingredients Development scheme.
MOH and MOE said they are also exploring partnerships with the healthcare clusters, such as working with canteen vendors to make healthier food options more appealing and expand their range of healthy recipes.
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The national health promotion strategy - Grow Well SG – seeks to improve preventive care and inculcate healthier lifestyles in children and adolescents, according to a joint release issued by the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) on Tuesday.
During a media briefing on Monday, MOH said local cohort studies have led to more studies on children’s health behaviours and their impact in the short as well as long term.
This includes studies on how the central nervous system and brain developments are associated with screen use as well as how inadequate physical activity has resulted in poorer body mass index (BMI) or obesity problems.
“We’ve reached a critical point. We have enough evidence that prompts us to want to do something than to wait for more evidence to come up,” said MOH.
For a start, the new strategy will focus on children aged up to 12 years old but will be extended to older children subsequently.
TACKLING EXCESSIVE SCREEN TIME
As part of the strategy, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will update its code of practice for preschools, effective Feb 1, to mandate no screen use for infants up to 18 months.
This follows research indicating a strong association between screen use and cognitive development in infants and toddlers, with inappropriate and excessive use leading to poorer language skills and shorter attention spans.
Under the revised code of practice, screens can only be used for teaching and learning purposes for children aged 18 months to six years.
At the media briefing, MSF clarified that most preschools currently do not use screens in their care for infants.
"These new screen use requirements are actually reflective of practices in preschools today, but the inclusion of the screen use requirements in the code of practice formalises these practices, which are already widely adopted by preschools, and also makes clear to preschools what they should not screen as time fillers to occupy the children," said MSF.
Responding to questions from reporters about what happens if a preschool does not comply with the code, the ministry said it will provide guidance and support to preschools in the first six months of implementation, adding that it will not take a punitive approach during this period.
"After that, for preschools who do not comply … ECDA will then direct them to cease this practice and also to take further regulatory actions if the children’s well-being is being compromised," MSF said, adding that regulatory actions could include warnings.
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MOH has also updated its guidance on screen use for children, which includes limiting screen use to less than one hour a day outside of school for those aged between three and six.
For those aged between seven and 12, the ministry recommended less than two hours a day of screen use, unless related to schoolwork.
It also discouraged parents from giving children unrestricted access to mobile devices, or any access to social media services.
When asked if the stricter guidelines could make parents - who give their children more than the recommended amount of screen time - feel guilty, MOE said: “Being a lot more explicit is useful because … it's not just a choice that you make, it’s the harm that you actually do to the children down the road.”
“When they come to us in schools, we do already see that … the harm has already been done so it’s to complement the whole range of resources.”
MOE also provided more detailed guidelines on managing students’ use of smartphones and smartwatches in primary and secondary schools.
For example, schools can set up dedicated storage spaces for students to deposit their phones before the start of lessons, while the use of mobile devices can be limited to designated areas and at certain times such as during recess or after school.
FIRST 1,000 DAYS
During a press conference at Temasek Primary School on Tuesday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung noted “very good” evidence, both internationally and locally, that shows that inculcating good lifestyle habits in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life - around two years and nine months - can actually have a profound impact on them even as they grow up.
(From L to R
Minister of State for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung and Minister of State for Education and for Manpower Gan Siow Huang at the Grow Well SG press conference on Jan 21, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)He explained that the strategy is being introduced now because screens, social media, and smartphones are playing an increasingly significant role in shaping children’s lifestyles and health.
“For many of us growing up, we never experienced that. So given all these changes, I think we should do something as soon as we can,” he said.
“We need to understand what is the impact on health, on education, on the way we do work and then tackle it as soon as possible. I think that should be our approach in tackling some of these changes.”
ESTABLISHING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE HABITS
Citing local studies that highlight the long-term benefits of building healthy lifestyle habits from a young age, Grow Well SG will also target poor nutrition, inadequate sleep, and insufficient physical activity through focused interventions.
MOH will introduce personalised health plans for Primary 1 to 3 students during their annual school health screenings this year. These plans comprise lifestyle change recommendations, school health screening results, vaccination reports and referrals to public healthcare institutions when needed.
Parents can access their child’s health plan via HealthHub and, later this year, create a profile page for each child on Healthy 365 to receive personalised recommendations on building healthy habits.
MOH said it is studying the progressive rollout of the health plan to include children from other age groups and will provide more details when ready.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Minister of State for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling, and Minister of State for Education and for Manpower Gan Siow Huang sitting in on a school health screening briefing at Temasek Primary School on Jan 21, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
The ministry will roll out a new checklist featuring questions on children’s health behaviours, which will be incorporated into childhood development screenings.
According to the media release, this will help to raise parents' awareness of healthy behaviours that children should adopt from an early age.
The checklist will also provide a common and systematic base of questions for their healthcare provider to consistently review and guide them to better health. More details will be released in the coming months.
Related:
MORE SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS
The Health Promotion Board (HPB) will provide all primary schools with data on their student population's health and lifestyle from the third quarter of this year. This will help schools provide "targeted" interventions for students who have greater health needs and educate them on appropriate healthy behaviours.
To promote healthier meals in schools, HPB said it will also step up efforts to help canteen vendors purchase lower-cost cost, healthier ingredients directly from manufacturers participating in its Healthier Ingredients Development scheme.
MOH and MOE said they are also exploring partnerships with the healthcare clusters, such as working with canteen vendors to make healthier food options more appealing and expand their range of healthy recipes.
Related:
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