Good jobs & mental health: S’pore students share about the kind of S’pore they hope to see

Caden Yeo, 18, remembers being in the school hall when the PSLE results were announced.

One classmate “broke down and cried” because he got a score of 258 instead of 260, despite it being a higher-than-average grade.

He remembers, too, feeling a lot of pressure in the lead-up to the national exam.

His parents signed him up for extra tuition classes, downloaded apps to control his phone usage, and even took time off work to ensure he was studying.

Today, Yeo is a Year 2 student at Nanyang Polytechnic who hopes to become a teacher one day.

More than that, he’s a firm believer in the relationship between education and mental health — and more importantly, that education can provide relief from mental health issues, rather than worsening it.

This led him to sign up for the Singapore Model Parliament (SMP) this year.

Huh what Parliament?

Don’t stop reading just because you see the word “Parliament”.

Targeted at youths, the week-long programme aims to expose participants to the complex world of policymaking.

This includes everything from showcasing the policy design process to honing public speaking skills, and concludes with a simulated parliamentary debate.

For Yeo, who is part of his school’s Students’ Union, his reason for joining was simple: He wanted to see how things worked in parliament.

Having seen his fellow students buckle and crack under academic pressure, Yeo believes that mental health and education are closely linked — and this could, possibly, be managed through policy intervention.

“By educating [or] mentoring parents and children, the rate of mental health issues in Singapore may hopefully decrease, and Singapore will thrive as a country with happier and healthier citizens,” he said.

Throughout the programme, Yeo attended workshops, visited government agencies, and participated in ministerial dialogues.

“From this experience, I learnt that a lot goes into the thought process of creating policies, as well as ensuring that our policies are made with the right intentions and without being seen as being too exclusive to anyone,” he said.

“I also learnt a lot from the other SMP participants, as well as from the speakers and dialogues with the ministers.”

An interest in politics

Mirthini Kannan, 20, has volunteered at Team Nila SG since 2022.

As a volunteer, she’s learnt more about society and civic engagement, things she holds “close to [her] heart”.

One instance was when she volunteered with the Red Cross Youth to organise a community health event. Working to raise awareness about health issues among the elderly was a “meaningful experience”, she said.

Aside from learning about how differences in awareness could lead to different health outcomes, Mirthini also saw firsthand how community involvement helped to empower others.

But the student at the Singapore Institute of Management is also interested in Singapore’s political scene.

“I think of this interest as an extension of my commitment to civic engagement,” she explained.

“When we understand our nation’s policies and political landscape, we’re better equipped to empathise with diverse perspectives and needs across our society.

This helps me appreciate the efforts that go into building a resilient and forward-looking nation.”

As a youth who stepped up to attend SMP, Mirthini believes that other youths like herself should also participate in other, important conversations in Singapore.

From climate change to economic uncertainty, these issues have a “direct and lasting impact on our generation”, she said.

“I strongly believe that it's important for the youth to engage in these conversations because our perspectives matter. We are the future leaders, and our active participation can drive change, inspire others, and contribute to building a more equitable society,” she added.

“By speaking up, we are not only advocating for ourselves but also for future generations, ensuring that their needs and concerns are addressed in policymaking.”

Singapore Model Parliament (SMP)

SMP is a flagship youth programme organised by REACH, under the Ministry of Digital Development and Information.

Now in its 10th iteration, SMP has the dual aims of exposing youths to Singapore’s policymaking process, and providing a platform for youths to engage critically with national issues and policies.

Youths can expect to participate in facilitated workshops, dialogues with Political Office Holders, and visits to government agencies.

At the end, they engage with their peers through a mock parliamentary debate, in which they debate critical issues in Singapore.

SMP is open to youths attending post-secondary institutions (i.e. Institute of Technical Education, polytechnic, university, junior college).

Interested to find out more? Keep up with REACH for updates on SMP 2025 on Instagram.

Writing this REACH-branded article made this writer realise there’s more to post-secondary life than endless mugging.