SINGAPORE - My First Skool has apologised after a Kindergarten 2 boy with autism under its care went missing in Serangoon North on Tuesday (Oct 24), only to be discovered at Yishun MRT station later that morning.
The boy, aged six, was a pupil at the pre-school in Block 140, Serangoon North Avenue 2, Shin Min Daily News reported on Wednesday.
Taking to Facebook to voice her frustration, the boy's mother Justina Ong said that she had received news of his disappearance at 10.48am on Tuesday.
Five minutes later, staff from Yishun MRT gave her a call to say they had found her son.
"I rushed to Yishun and yes (it was) really my son," Ms Ong said.
She later spoke to her son's teacher. The teacher, Ms Ong said, told her that she had taken half of the class - seven children - to water the plants outside. The teacher found out the pupil was missing just after the students had returned to class at 10.30am.
Ms Ong, however, questioned the timing of events.
She said: "Yishun MRT called us at 10.53am and told us my son (was) there, so its impossible he took Bus 73 to Ang Mo Kio MRT then to Yishun MRT."
Ms Ong said the teacher admitted she could have "remembered the timing wrongly".
My First Skool's general manager Adeline Tan told Stomp on Wednesday: "We apologise unreservedly for this incident which has caused great stress and worry to the family of a child under our care. The boy has been with us since he was a toddler and our teachers have always conscientiously looked out for him.
"Upon discovering that the child was not with his classmates yesterday morning during a gardening activity, the teachers at the centre did their best to search for the child in the vicinity of the centre, before the teacher in charge of the gardening activity contacted the parent."
Mrs Tan added: "The teacher-in-charge is deeply apologetic and badly shaken by this incident. She is being counselled and understands that appropriate disciplinary action will have to be taken. We are doing our utmost to engage with the parent on this incident."
