Alleged assault at Admiralty Sec School not bullying incident: Chan Chun Sing
It resulted from an altercation between two new Secondary One students during the transition period.

The recent case of alleged assault in Admiralty Secondary School which left a student with an injury was "not an incident of bullying", said Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing on Feb. 4.
Addressing a parliamentary question by Progress Singapore Party NCMP Hazel Poa, Chan said the injury resulted from an "altercation...between two new Secondary One students during the transition period".
Poa had asked if the Ministry of Education had conducted an investigation into the alleged assault and requested the findings during a parliamentary sitting on Feb. 4.
A 12-year-old secondary school boy was allegedly assaulted by another classmate in Admiralty Secondary School on Jan. 7, resulting in a gash on the back of his head.
School "acted appropriately to support the student's wellbeing"
"Based on MOE investigations so far, the school has acted appropriately to support the student's wellbeing," said Chan, adding that the school ensured that the injured student received medical care promptly.
"During his medical leave, the school maintained communication with his parents, provided learning support for the child, and monitored his wellbeing," he said.
The student has since returned to school.
The school has been assisting the police in their ongoing investigation of the case.
Chan also said that punitive action had been taken against the other student.
"The student who struck the other student has been suspended and will face further disciplinary actions when he returns to school."
The school will also facilitate the restoration of relationships between the two students when they are both back in school, he said.
"Let us not speculate" regarding secondary school girl "who fell from height in 2023"
Chan also addressed another case of alleged bullying at Admiralty Secondary School which led to a 15-year-old student taking her own life.
After news of the alleged assault at Admiralty Secondary School broke on Jan, 7, a mother of a former student shared an account of how her daughter was allegedly bullied by schoolmates and fell into depression after.
Her daughter, at the age of less than 16, took her own life in 2023.
"MOE is deeply saddened by this loss, and shared its condolences for her family and loved ones," said the minister.
However, he added the public should "not speculate or jump in to complicate matters further".
"We understand the anxieties of parents whose children are or have been involved in fighting or bullying incidents, but please allow the school and the authorities to deal with the cases and carry out the necessary disciplinary and restorative actions professionally."
As the details of the female student's case had been made known to the public, the minister revealed that the girl was experiencing "emotional challenges" while going through "friendship issues".
Admiralty Secondary School had gone above and beyond in supporting the student, said Chan.
The school guided the affected student and her friends in resolving their differences, provided counselling to the girl, and maintained communications with the girl's family.
Chan said that the allegations lodged at Admiralty Secondary School are "one-sided" and do not reflect the full picture.
"They do not do justice to the efforts that the school had made to help the student and her family in time of need.
The outcome was not something any one of us wished to see happen, but the intent and efforts of the school to help the child and the family seeking to partner with the family should not be doubted."'
Restraint leaves educators vulnerable to misunderstanding
Explaining that the causes and possible triggers for suicides are "complex and multifaceted", the minister said that MOE maintains strict confidentiality and does not disclose the details of the incidents or the child's family circumstances to the public.
This is done out of respect for the family's privacy and given the sensitive nature of these matters.
However, this approach often leaves educators vulnerable to misunderstandings, online attacks, and abuse.
MOE "will not tolerate" threats to its staff or other children
"MOE is particularly concerned when adults take to social media or turn up in our schools to threaten our staff, demanding action on behalf of their children, or even threatening the other children," Chan added, noting that the ministry "will not tolerate such actions".
"While these incidents are few, they incur a disproportionate amount of time and bandwidth to manage and must not be allowed to grow," Chan continued.
"While a small number of parents may think the schools have not done enough in their eyes to address their grievances, we can [confidently say] that our teachers have the best interest of our students at heart and will deal with all of them, take care of them impartially and not just a few or selected ones."
Chan also cautioned that punishment must be done in tandem with rehabilitation.
"Punishment alone, without due care to rehabilitate, is not in line with the long-term development interests of our children.
We are our children's most important role models. If we act like bullies offline or online, they will too. Threatening, doxxing, and being disrespectful to other children and teachers are not actions that make our children better."
In a follow-up question where Poa asked if MOE tracks the outcome of rehabilitation efforts, Chan said, "These cases are few in our schools, and the recidivism rate is also very low."
Top image courtesy of Goh and MDDI/YouTube
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