As part of Singapore’s Ministry of Education’s (MOE) continued efforts to enhance the professional development of teachers, more than 800 teachers have been trained in psychological first aid (PFA) since the course’s launch in 2016.
Teachers who are selected for the course are typically part of a team in the school that helps staff and students cope with psychological distress, said director of the Guidance Branch at the Student Development Curriculum Division at MOE.
“(They) also support affected students, monitor their well-being and help strengthen their coping skills,” added director Choy Wai Yin.
The course is conducted by the Singapore Red Cross. It teaches tips and techniques on how to identify signs of distress in someone and help comfort them, reported the New Paper.
Jasmine Phua, a secondary school teacher who attended the course, said the techniques have helped students open up to her more, allowing her to understand and guide them better.
Phua added that she learnt the benefits of saying simple phrases such as “I hear you” and “you must be going through a hard time”.
One of the course instructors, Faiszah Abdul Hamid, highlighted the importance of the course in ensuring that those who need help in times of crisis have “a higher chance of emotional support”.
Also, it teaches participants how to be conscious and aware of the way they approach those in distress, making them “more sincere and genuine”, shared Faiszah.