SINGAPORE - A secondary school teacher allegedly molested a boy in a laboratory at his workplace last year.

The molestation case against the 31-year-old Singaporean man was heard in a district court on Tuesday (Oct 6).

Details about him and the school cannot be disclosed owing to a gag order by the court to protect the teenager's identity.

The Ministry of Education (MOE), in a statement to The Straits Times on Wednesday, said the man had been suspended since October last year.

"MOE takes a serious view of staff misconduct and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against those who fail to adhere to our standards of conduct and discipline, including dismissal from service," added its spokesman.

The man is accused of hugging the boy from behind and kissing his cheeks.

His bail was set at $10,000 and the case has been adjourned to Oct 27.

He was not the first male teacher to appear in court in recent months on charges of molesting boys.

In August, a 35-year-old Singaporean claimed trial after he allegedly molested a 12-year-old boy on three occasions in 2017.

The man, who was teaching in a primary school, also cannot be named owing to a gag order.

He had been suspended from service since July 2017 and is no longer teaching in any school.

The man claimed trial to three counts of molestation.

Two other charges involving the same boy - one count each of assault and showing him a pornographic video - will be dealt with at a later stage.

According to court documents, the man allegedly assaulted the boy in April 2017 by grabbing his wrists and slapping his cheek.

He is accused of showing the child a pornographic video on a computer on June 15 that year. He is also said to have molested his alleged victim on two separate occasions that day.

The case against this 35-year-old teacher is still pending.

Offenders convicted of molesting a child below 14 years old can be jailed up to five years and fined or caned for each charge.