Childcare abuse case: MP Josephine Teo says children at centre cheerful and confident

Children at the NTUC My First Skool in Toa Payoh, where an abuse case was reported last week, are "cheerful and confident".

Member of Parliament (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) Josephine Teo said this in a Facebook post on Wednesday evening after she made a visit to the centre in the morning. The childcare centre is where a 51-year-old part-time teacher allegedly abused a three-year-old boy last week. The teacher was sacked on Monday.

Mrs Teo also wrote that she was "concerned" about the centre's teachers. "They told me they were initially fearful of the reactions of other parents, but were deeply touched when many parents came forth to express support and encouragement," she wrote.

The management of the centre should be given time to implement other improvements, she wrote, adding that parents should be reassured by the management's attitude in learning from this episode and resolve to make things better. Since the incident happened last Friday, the centre's playgroup class, which has 45 children aged 30 months to three years, has seen fewer absentees. Seven students were absent on Wednesday, compared to eight on Tuesday and 14 the day before.

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