Primary 5 and Secondary 3 students got 15 more minutes of sleep in 2025 than in 2023
The latest Ministry of Education survey found that Primary 5 and Secondary 3 students got about seven hours of sleep on average on school days.
Students in class at Presbyterian High School on Oct 22, 2025. (File photo: CNA/Raydza Rahman)
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SINGAPORE: Primary 5 and Secondary 3 students got 15 more minutes of sleep on school days in 2025 compared with 2023, said the Ministry of Education on Wednesday (Aug 5).
Based on the ministry’s latest survey, the students got an average of about seven hours of sleep on school days, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education Syed Harun Alhabsyi in parliament.
This falls short of the nine to 11 hours recommended for those aged 11 to 13, and eight to 10 hours for those aged 14 to 17, according to the Ministry of Health’s HealthHub website.
Dr Syed Harun was responding to a parliamentary question from Dr Choo Pei Ling (PAP-Chua Chu Kang) on whether the government tracks sleep trends among school-going children, and what measures are being considered to improve their sleep health.
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He cited several steps already in place. Personal learning devices for secondary school students have been set to enter sleep mode at 10.30pm by default since January.
Schools also teach students healthy sleep habits, including regular sleep hours and avoiding caffeine and digital devices before bedtime, as part of self-management and time management lessons.
Separately, MOE has partnered KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital to engage parents on supporting their children’s sleep health through sessions with medical experts.
In a supplementary question, Dr Choo asked if MOE is assessing students’ sleep quality, and whether the ministry would consider piloting later school start times for older students.
MOE does not currently have data on students’ sleep quality, Dr Syed Harun said. On start times, he noted that schools already have autonomy to decide, provided lessons begin no earlier than 7.30am.
But pushing back start times comes with trade-offs, he added.
“For example, when we push back school start time, it would also mean that lessons might continue well into the afternoon, where it can also be hot and humid and perhaps less ideal for learning,” he said.
Students will also be dismissed later, which could impact after-school programmes, he added.
“I ask that we take a balance with regard to school start times and we give the schools the specific autonomy to do so.”
Source: CNA/hw(cy)
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