As the community continues to grapple with the unsettling revelations surrounding Kinderland,the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has issued another statement addressing the ongoing crisis.
The ECDA has levied a fine of S$5,000 on the Kinderland Preschool situated at Woodlands Mart, expressing regret for their delayed response to the alarming videos that surfaced on 17 August 2023.
Here is a comprehensive update on the unfolding Kinderland saga.
Kinderland at Woodlands Mart Fined $5,000
Following the distressing events that transpired at the Kinderland Preschool in Woodlands Mart, the ECDA has taken stern action by fining the preschool’s operator S$5,000.
This punitive measure reflects the severity of the incidents that have occurred at the facility, which have cast significant doubts on the safety and welfare of the children enrolled there.
Serious Misconduct by Educators and Administrative Lapses
On Monday, 4 September, the ECDA conceded in a press release that their intervention should have been more prompt and decisive. They highlighted the delay in relieving a teacher, known as Teacher A, from her classroom responsibilities at the Woodlands Mart centre. This individual was documented engaging in abusive actions towards a child, including force-feeding and striking.
Kinderland then disclosed in a media statement that the ECDA was informed of the videos before they went viral. Subsequently, the ECDA reached out to Kinderland, prompting them to initiate an internal investigation.
The implicated teacher, Lin Min, was charged in court on 30 August for her abusive treatment of a child.
Court documents reveal that the 33-year-old Singaporean allegedly coerced a 23-month-old girl to lie down before forcibly pouring water into her mouth. This shocking incident gained widespread attention on 28 August, when videos depicting Lin’s abusive behaviour towards several children, including the young girl, began circulating online.
Lin has since received a formal warning in accordance with the regulations of the Early Childhood Development Centres and has been barred from seeking employment in the preschool sector.
The police are conducting further investigations into the matter. Currently, Lin is under remand at the Institute of Mental Health and is slated to appear in court again on 13 September 2023.
In a subsequent development, another educator, referred to as Teacher B, confessed to filming and leaking the incriminating video. Following this revelation, she resigned from her position at Kinderland.
Shortly after this incident, Kinderland has instituted a new policy prohibiting teachers from using personal devices in the classroom, citing the need to protect students’ privacy.
People slammed the preschool, claiming that it could discourage whistleblowing. Even PM Lee’s wife, Ho Ching, has chimed in:
She said that Kinderland “should institute a proper whistleblower system and process, instead of trying to prevent anyone from using personal devices to get recorded evidence”.
ECDA Intensifies Measures to Safeguard Child Safety
Further probes by the ECDA unveiled that another teacher at the preschool had utilized “inappropriate methods” to restrain a three-year-old child on two separate occasions. These methods encompassed pulling the child’s shirt over the back of a chair and using straps from an infant chair to prevent the child from standing up.
The centre’s principal was found to have neglected her duty in supervising her staff adequately, failing to prevent the employment of unsuitable child management techniques within the preschool.
Consequently, she has been prohibited from assuming the role of a principal in any preschool and has received a warning.
The ECDA stated that her suitability for the role would be reassessed after undergoing refresher training and a subsequent two-year probationary period.
In another resolved case, two teachers confessed to strapping a two-year-old child to his chair on several occasions using straps from an infant seat.
This was purportedly done to focus the child on an activity and to prevent him from injuring himself or others. The ECDA has mandated the centre to halt this practice immediately and to collaborate closely with parents in managing the behaviour of each child.
Stern warnings have been issued to the school and the involved educators, with a vow of stricter repercussions if similar incidents recur in the future.
ECDA Apologises for Delayed Response
In the statement, ECDA’s chief executive officer, Tan Chee Wee, voiced his regret over the agency’s mishandling of the situation, stating, “We apologize for not instructing Kinderland to immediately remove the educator from her classroom role while investigations were ongoing.
“We are committed to fortifying our protocols and enhancing the training of our officers.”
He acknowledged the failure in adhering to the established protocol, which necessitates the immediate removal of staff from classroom duties in instances where clear evidence of child endangerment is evident.
The agency is in the process of reviewing and improving its systems and procedures to avert similar lapses in the future.
The ECDA also highlighted ongoing investigations at another branch, Kinderland @ Sunshine Place in Choa Chu Kang. In one instance, a teacher, identified as Teacher C, was reported to have “forcefully pushed” a five-year-old child in April 2022.
Both the ECDA and the police are actively investigating this incident. In light of these recent episodes of child mismanagement, the ECDA has instructed Kinderland’s headquarters to conduct an independent review of child management practices across all their preschools.
They are expected to present their findings and recommendations within a three-month timeframe.
Meanwhile, the ECDA will maintain a close watch on all Kinderland preschools, implementing more frequent unannounced checks to scrutinize their classroom management practices rigorously.
As a blue cat once remarked, these incidents might just be the beginning: