Teacher who allegedly abused three babies barred from working in any pre-school: ECDA
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ECDA said it has acted against the pre-school and the educator for breaches of the Early Childhood Development Centres Regulations.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
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- A pre-school teacher in Singapore is charged with abusing three babies, including force-feeding and hitting them in September 2024.
- The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has barred the teacher from working in any pre-school.
- This case is the latest in a series of pre-school abuse incidents which have raised concerns among parents.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – The pre-school teacher who allegedly abused three babies has been barred from working in any pre-school, said the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) on Nov 21.
The 36-year-old Singaporean woman, who cannot be named to protect the identities of the victims, was handed three charges under the Children and Young Persons Act on Nov 20.
On Sept 23, 2024, she allegedly force-fed a 12-month-old child
Two days later, she allegedly stuffed a bib into an eight-month-old baby’s mouth and put a blanket over the child’s face.
That day, she also allegedly ill-treated a third child, who was 10 months old, by hitting the child on the right hand. She purportedly lifted a bumper chair the child was sitting in and dropped it from knee height.
On Nov 21, 2025, ECDA said in a statement that the pre-school was alerted to the incidents involving the woman on Sept 25, 2024.
After reviewing the CCTV footage, the pre-school fired her on Sept 26 that year and notified ECDA the next day.
The pre-school also lodged a police report.
ECDA said it has acted against the pre-school and the educator for breaches of the Early Childhood Development Centres Regulations.
The educator involved has been barred from working in any pre-school.
ECDA has also taken action against the centre’s principal and two other staff.
The agency said it was unable to share more details of the regulatory breaches in this case as court proceedings are in progress.
It added: “Regulatory lapses that compromise children’s safety and well-being in pre-schools are not acceptable. ECDA will take firm action against pre-school operators or staff who are found guilty of not fulfilling their duty of care to the children under their charge.”
It said all pre-school operators must have measures to keep children safe. These include ensuring that educators use developmentally appropriate practices when interacting with children, and receive proper supervision and guidance when carrying out their duties.
This incident is the latest involving abuse at pre-school centres that has worried parents.
On Aug 19, pre-school teacher Alamelu Paramaguru was jailed for four days for ill-treating a child
She had forcefully kicked and bruised the shin of a four-year-old pupil whom she thought had caused her to nearly trip.
On Oct 28, a Singaporean woman was sentenced to six months’ jail
She was working as a programme staff member at a care service provider for kindergarten children when she ill-treated three victims aged four and five.
And on Nov 10, Teo Guan Huat, a former cook at a pre-school in Singapore, was sentenced to nine years, four months and seven weeks in jail for molesting three toddler girls there
The prosecution said this was one of the most horrendous acts of sexual abuse committed in such a local facility.
