Minister for Education Ong Ye Kung has weighed in on the ongoing scandal of a male student who filmed a female student in National University of Singapore while she was showering.

In a Facebook post on April 22, Ong said the penalties meted out by NUS were "manifestly inadequate" and that it was necessary to take a tougher stand.

In explaining how he viewed the severity of the situation, Ong added he has conveyed his concerns on the case to the NUS President and Board Chairman two nights ago, on April 20.

Here is the post:

"Two strikes and you are out cannot be the standard application"

Ong elaborated it is imperative for NUS to make its campus safe for all students, especially female students.

Ong also added that it could not be the norm where students were only expelled upon their "second strike" for sexual misconduct in university.

Earlier, NUS Vice-Provost (Student Life) Florence Ling had said it was NUS' policy to only expel students found guilty of sexual misconduct on the second time, The Straits Times reported.

While Ling said students found guilty of sexual misconduct outside the university would be expelled, even on the first instance, first-time offenders within the university would be provided with a chance.

Such students would appear before the university's Board of Discipline for a range of punishments, with the exception of expulsion.

Ling said:

"For first-time offenders, because we are an educational institution, we want to give the students a chance. Student offenders who appear before the Board of Discipline for the first time are given a range of punishments, but not immediate expulsion."

Confident in NUS' review of disciplinary framework

Ong noted that NUS has since decided to review its framework for discipline and sentencing, and expressed confidence that the review will lead to a better process.

Ong highlighted that both the NUS Board and President were also "seized" with the matter and determined to stamp out such behaviour.

Ong then concluded that he had also asked other universities to do the same for such offences.

Here's how NUS has dealt with past cases:

Top image collage from NUS FB and Ong Ye Kung FB

Content that keeps Mothership.sg going

??
“When you’re volunteering you’re not only helping the senior but also helping yourself”, said this Singaporean volunteer.

??
These celebrities did not sleep for 60 hours. Just because they FOMO.

??
They probably wouldn't mask the smell of a rude dude's fart, but these instagrammable train carriages are definitely a breath of fresh air.

?️?
You probably know "Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives". But did you know he sometimes arrives in a Gundam suit?

???
Should calories go to your waist or your waste? (The right answer is "neither")