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The Ministry of Education (MOE) is looking into a complaint by a man who alleged that a female teacher had advertised herself online as a potential "sugar baby".

The man told The Straits Times (ST) that he had cross-referenced the teacher's profile on the website Sugarbook with her social media account and subsequently alerted the ministry.

Feels that teacher should be held to higher standard

Sugarbook markets itself as "a social networking platform that helps build beneficial relationships with our society’s elite".

Sugarbook's founder Darren Chan was arrested in Malaysia earlier this year and the platform is also being investigated under Malaysian law for prostitution and the improper use of network services.

Sugarbook aims to link sugar babies with sugar mommies or sugar daddies to create a sugar relationship, or "an arrangement where like-minded, consenting adults agree to terms that mutually benefit both parties", such as through companionship, mentorship, and/or financial and emotional support.

The man who reported the female teacher to MOE — who is himself a user of the platform — told ST that the teacher should be held to a higher standard.

He claimed that the teacher had used her real name on her profile.

MOE "takes a serious view of staff misconduct"

MOE confirmed with ST that it is aware of the complaint, and said it is looking into it.

The ministry "takes a serious view of staff misconduct and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against those who fail to adhere to our standards of conduct and discipline, including dismissal from service".

Mothership has reached out to MOE about the issue and has asked for clarity on whether advertising oneself as a "sugar baby" would be considered a failure to adhere to MOE's standards of conduct and discipline for teachers, and will update this article when we receive a response.

MOE also said that the teacher has denied the allegations thus far.

ST noted that the teacher has since tendered her resignation.

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Top photo via Sugarbook.