SINGAPORE – A male teacher allegedly molested two seven-year-old girls in a primary school in 2019.

The 36-year-old man, who is no longer a teacher, was handed three molestation charges on Tuesday. He is said to have targeted one of the pupils twice that year.

While there is no specific gag order on his identity, there is one on the name of the school to protect the girls’ identities.

Hence, he cannot be named, as doing so may lead to the identification of the school.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) told The Straits Times on Wednesday that it dismissed him in April 2022, and he is no longer teaching in any school.

“(The ministry) takes a serious view of staff misconduct and will take disciplinary action against those who fail to adhere to our standards of conduct and discipline, including dismissal from service,” an MOE spokesperson said.

The man is accused of touching the inner thigh of one of the girls. He is also accused of touching the other girl’s private parts on two separate occasions.

The alleged offences took place in the primary school he was teaching in.

His case has been adjourned to Oct 23.

For each count of molesting a child below 14 years old, an offender can be jailed for up to five years, fined, caned or receive any combination of such punishments.