S'pore boy, 13, allegedly spat on & thrown against pillar by classmate, left with 7 stitches to upper lip

A Secondary 1 student at Outram Secondary School (OSS) was allegedly assaulted by a classmate on May 28, leaving him with facial and dental injuries.

Classmate allegedly spat on his back

Speaking to Mothership, the boy's mother alleged that her son was walking from the school hall to the canteen when a classmate spat on his back.

Another student was present at the time, she said.

She alleged that her son wiped the saliva off his shirt with his hand and smeared it onto the classmate's shirt before continuing to walk towards the canteen.

According to the mother, her son was walking near a pillar on the left when the classmate ran towards him from behind, grabbed him, and threw him against the pillar on the right.

The boy's mother said the school called her immediately after the incident to inform her about what happened, and an ambulance had also been called.

She said she later met her son at the hospital.

The incident left her son with seven stitches to his upper lip, fractures in his mouth, three loose teeth, one broken tooth and bruises, she said.

According to the mother, her son was told to attend long-term follow-up appointments for his dental injuries over the next one to five years.

She added that a doctor recommended that her son see a psychiatrist after he began feeling sad, angry and scared following the incident, and experienced nightmares about it about twice a week.

Concerns over the school's handling of the incident

The boy's mother said she met school leaders on Jun. 22, when she was allegedly informed that the classmate would be caned following the school's investigations.

However, she claimed that during a subsequent call with the school on Jul. 9, she was told the disciplinary action had been put on hold after the other student appealed the findings.

According to the mother, the other student maintained that the incident was a "trip and fall", rather than him grabbing and throwing her son.

She alleged that the school subsequently asked her son to re-enact the incident and interviewed the same witnesses again as part of a second investigation.

The mother said she was informed again on Jul. 17 that the student would be caned following the second investigation.

However, she claimed the school later told her the punishment would only be carried out when the other student was "emotionally ready".

She said this left her feeling that the school was prioritising the other student's wellbeing over her son's.

"They don't provide counselling. They don't speak to my son... They don't ask. They don't show concern," she alleged.

The mother added that the school subsequently transferred the other student to a different class.

She also claimed that her son later received a text message from another classmate alleging that the student involved had previously admitted he intended to push him.

According to the mother, the classmate also alleged that the student had pushed him on a previous occasion and, when asked why, allegedly replied that he "just likes seeing how people react to it".

Witnesses allegedly asked to rewrite statements repeatedly

The boy's mother alleged that three to four students witnessed the incident.

She claimed these witnesses were asked to rewrite their statements three to five times during the school's investigation.

According to her, when the witnesses described the incident as a "grab and throw", they were repeatedly asked whether they were sure it was not a "trip and fall".

She also alleged that during her first meeting with the school, her son recounted that he had been grabbed by the other student and thrown to the ground.

According to the mother, he was then repeatedly asked whether he was sure that was what had happened, as the other student had claimed it was a "trip and fall".

She also claimed that during the first meeting with the school, when her son explained that he was being grabbed by the boy and thrown against the pillar, he was allegedly asked if he was sure that was what had happened.

The boy's mother said she lodged a police report following the incident.

According to an email she shared with Mothership, the police informed her that, after "careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case", it had decided to administer the other student with a stern warning.

The mother also shared a hospital memo stating that her son had "experienced a serious incident of assault" at school that required urgent medical care.

The memo added:

"In order to protect his mental and emotional wellbeing, please support this family in their request to transfer to another school so that he may continue to thrive in a safe learning environment."

Safety plan put in place: OSS

In response to Mothership's queries, the principal of OSS, Keith Tan, said the school is aware of the incident and have been taking it "very seriously".

"When the incident involving Student A and the affected student, Student B, happened in May 2026, Student B’s Form Teacher accompanied him to the hospital. He was discharged on the same day.

The school subsequently conducted comprehensive investigations, including multiple rounds of interviews and re-enactments with eyewitnesses, to rigorously establish the facts of the case."

Tan said the school remained in close contact with the families of both students throughout the process, keeping them informed of the investigation's outcomes and the consequences imposed in accordance with the school's disciplinary framework.

He added that the school has put in place a safety plan for Student B since Jun. 22 to support his well-being and recovery.

The measures include counselling support, steps to minimise contact between Student A and Student B, and excusing Student B from contact sports during his recovery.

Student A has also been transferred to another class.

Tan said the school has determined and is carrying out appropriate disciplinary measures against Student A, including suspension, an adjustment to the student's conduct grade and other consequences, in accordance with the school's disciplinary framework.

"We continue to engage the families of both students closely," he said. "The school remains committed to safeguarding the well-being of all students and maintaining a safe and respectful school environment."