School-based counseling in Singapore, a city-state in Southeast Asia, had its nascent beginnings in the 1960s. Overthe years, it has steadily evolved to become a credible and accessible mainstay of school mental health support that isincreasingly relevant and sensitive to the social and emotional needs of students in the education system. This articleprovides an overview of the key milestones in the development of school-based counseling in Singapore. It alsodescribes the roles assumed by school counselors and discusses the current concerns and challenges they face. Itconcludes by presenting the aspirations of school counselors and charting future directions.


Corresponding Author
Boon-Ooi Lee, Psychological Studies, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University (NIE/NTU),
Singapore, 1 Nanyang Walk, 637616, Singapore.
Email: boonooi.lee@nie.edu.sg