Primary 5 and Secondary 3 students in Singapore are sleeping an average of 15 minutes longer on school days in 2025 compared to 2023, reaching about seven hours per night, according to the Ministry of Education’s latest survey. Though this is progress, it still falls short of the recommended sleep amounts for their age groups.
- Students now average about seven hours of sleep on school nights.
- MOE enforces device sleep mode and teaches healthy sleep habits.
- Schools have flexibility with start times, balancing practical considerations.
What happened
In 2025, Primary 5 and Secondary 3 students got roughly 15 minutes more sleep during school days than in 2023, with an average of about seven hours according to a Ministry of Education survey. This survey was highlighted by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education Syed Harun Alhabsyi during a parliamentary session.
Efforts to support better sleep include setting personal learning devices to default sleep mode by 10:30 pm since January and integrating lessons on sleep health and time management into school curricula. The Ministry of Education has also partnered with KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital to involve parents in discussions about their children’s sleep through expert sessions.
Why it feels good
The gain in sleep duration offers a positive sign that initiatives aimed at promoting healthier sleep routines among school children are yielding results. Even a modest increase can improve students’ alertness, mood, and learning capacity during the school day.
Addressing sleep health taps into a larger effort to support student well-being holistically. Through education and parental involvement, children are learning to manage their routines better, balancing digital device use and sleep, which could promote long-term healthy habits.
What to enjoy or watch next
While these improvements are welcome, the average sleep duration still falls short of the Ministry of Health’s recommendations of 9 to 11 hours for ages 11 to 13 and 8 to 10 hours for ages 14 to 17. Continued monitoring of sleep patterns and quality may help guide future initiatives and policy adjustments.
Discussions about school start times remain active, with schools allowed to start lessons no earlier than 7:30 am and given autonomy to decide start times. However, changes must consider challenges like afternoon heat and effects on after-school programs, balancing practical needs with potential benefits to students’ sleep.