Both the police and the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) are conducting investigations into several viral videos which showed a teacher allegedly abusing students at a preschool in Singapore, Sembawang GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Poh Li San said in a Facebook post on Aug. 28.
MP was alerted to incident this afternoon after videos circulated online
Poh put up her post following the circulation of viral videos showing a teacher pulling crying boy's head and pinching a girl's cheeks to force them drink water, among other actions.
In response to Mothership, Poh said she was alerted to the matter only after the videos surfaced in the afternoon of Aug. 28.
She added that she liaised with both the police and ECDA, and her key focus at the moment is to assist affected parents, if they need help.
In response to Mothership's queries, the police confirmed that reports have been lodged and investigations are ongoing.
In her Facebook post, Poh identified the preschool in question as Kinderland@Woodlands Mart.
Poh also said that the staff's "unprofessional acts" cannot be condoned and that she must be brought to task.
The MP added that it was her understanding that the teacher has been dismissed.
CNA spoke to a parent whose child was in one of the videos and they were also told that the teacher had been dismissed.
Parents who spoke to Mothership said they are aware of the videos but declined to comment further.
Photo by Mothership.
Kinderland asks for privacy for affected families
In the meantime, Kinderland Singapore's Facebook page has been bombarded with angry comments and reactions on their posts.
The preschool subsequently responded to the comments in its latest post by stating calling for privacy for affected families.
Source: Screenshot via Kinderland Singapore
Screenshot via Rebecca Leong/Facebook
ECDA: Teacher has been dismissed by the preschool
In response to Mothership's queries, the ECDA said that it was aware of the matter and is investigating the case.
It added:
"As the case is under investigation by both ECDA and the Police, we are unable to comment further on the details. We note that the educator in question has since been dismissed by the preschool. Meanwhile, ECDA has instructed the preschool operator to provide close guidance and support to their teachers in classroom management, and will continue to work closely with the centre to ensure the safety and well-being of enrolled children."
Top left photo by Mothership, right photo via Childcare in Singapore/Facebook