Emphasizing that positive peer influence can be a powerful mechanism to promote good cyber wellness practices, at the launch of the Cyber Wellness Student Ambassador Programme, SPS Masagos explained that the new initiative equips students with knowledge and skills on using online tools safely and provides an extended platform to complement existing cyber wellness education efforts. Students who want to play an active role in promoting cyber wellness among their peers can now become Cyber Wellness Student Ambassadors. The Cyber Wellness Student Ambassador Programme is launched today to promote safe and responsible use of Information-Communication Technologies (ICT) among students through peer education.
The programme is a part of the BackPack LIVE! Education Initiative led by the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and Microsoft Singapore. It will target students at Primary 4 and Secondary 2 levels, and kick off with 47 primary and 44 secondary schools in November 2009. The Cyber Wellness Student Ambassador Programme will not only equip students with knowledge and skills on how to use online tools safely, but will also provide schools with an extended platform to complement and support their existing cyber wellness education efforts. Through positive peer influence and peer education, the Programme will provide a platform for cyber wellness messages to be delivered from the youths' viewpoint. Student Ambassadors will also benefit from their direct involvement as they are actively engaged in planning and designing activities to propagate cyber wellness messages.
