Schools have measures to detect psychosis among students: Lui

Schools have measures to detect psychosis among students: Lui
By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 22 May 2007 1928 hrs

SINGAPORE: The recent massacre at the University of Virginia in the US prompted MPs to ask the Education Ministry about the measures in place to detect psychosis among students.

Minister of State for Education Lui Tuck Yew said there are three tiers of help.

The teachers will first identify problem behaviour.

The students are then referred to school counsellors.

Severe cases are referred to the Institute of Mental Health for expert help.

RADM (NS) Lui said: "In 2006, only 31 out of a total of 7,155 cases of schizophrenia - which is the most common form of psychosis - were diagnosed for patients aged under 18 years by the Child Guidance Clinic of the Institute of Mental Health.

"With regard to what happened in the University of Virginia, our institutions of higher learning actually have a system in place where there are people who are on the lookout for such developments."

He added that schools also have programmes to reintegrate students who have been treated for mental problems.

MP Halimah Yacob asked if schools have programmes to not only train counsellors and teachers but also raise awareness among students about the challenges and problems faced by psychotic students.

RADM (NS) Lui replied: "I think the areas that we are actually paying greater attention to right now would be dyslexia, autism, as well as, for example, other behavioural problems which I think are more common." - CNA/ir

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