Integrating character education and student well-being: A comparative review for elementary schools
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This study examines how character education can be positioned as a foundation for student well-being through a structured narrative comparative review of Indonesia, Singapore, and Vietnam. Scholarship was identified through targeted searches of peer reviewed journals and academic books, complemented by reference list screening, and supported by selected policy and organizational documents. Evidence was extracted on key constructs, proposed mechanisms, and school practices, then synthesized through SDT guided comparative thematic analysis. Findings are organized into four analytic domains: curriculum, classroom pedagogy, learning space/school climate, and digital governance. The evidence base is uneven: Singapore’s literature more consistently foregrounds well-being initiatives, Indonesian studies emphasize need supportive pedagogy, and Vietnam’s sources are more strongly oriented toward child protection and legal or regulatory frameworks. Across contexts, well-being, oriented character education appears most plausible when curriculum intentions are enacted through need supportive teaching that fosters autonomy, competence, and relatedness and is reinforced by safe learning environments. Leadership routines, governance, and digital safeguards (privacy and cybersecurity) shape implementation conditions. Conclusions are presented as bounded propositions; future research should test them using primary school evidence in each context
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