Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, on Tuesday, 4 February, emphasised the Ministry of Education’s ( MOE ) serious stance on bullying and violence in schools but cautioned against social media-driven vigilantism by adults. He warned that such actions might lead to worsening school-related problems rather than bringing them to an end.
In response to political inquiries regarding two recent occurrences at Admiralty Secondary School that gained widespread attention as a result of the students ‘ friends’ viral Facebook posts, Mr. Chan made the remarks.
Hazel Poa, a part of the Progress Singapore Party’s non-constituency, inquired to the minister of education about the findings of an investigation into an alleged rape at Admiralty Secondary School on January 7, 2025.
In his response, Mr Chan highlighted the adverse impact of public emotions driven by insufficient information, stating,” No one should be bullied. No one wants to become bullied. And no one should drunk”. Nevertheless, he warned that the quick spread of social media posts has “heightened perceptions” and triggered “increased social media vigilante steps”.
According to him,” These steps can normalize intense emotions and impede remedial work,” adding that even a small amount of “unhelpful presence” from adults could complicate matters and make it harder for schools to link students.
Mr. Chan added that some people have taken to social advertising or appeared in classrooms to require action, threaten teachers, or even take aim at various students. He categorically condemned such behaviour, stating,” This is wrong”, and added that MOE would not tolerate it.
Although these situations are uncommon, they require disproportionately much time and resources to handle, and they shouldn’t rise, according to Mr. Chan.
event on January 7 at Admiralty Secondary School
Mr. Chan explained that Admiralty Secondary School receives an average of about two bullying cases per month per 1,000 pupils, which he said is in line with the regional average across secondary schools.
On January 8th, the authorities confirmed that they were looking into a alleged assault on a student that left the victim with a head wound. A person claiming to be the defendant’s brother posted a “brutal assault” on Facebook that left the child with a severe cut on his head that required stitches.
Mr. Chan made it clear that primary MOE investigations determined that the event was more of a verbal altercation between two Secondary 1 students than bullying. A split occurred when one student struck the other with a plastic water bottle on the mind.
The type teacher instantly intervened and separated the learners after witnessing the event. According to Mr. Chan, the injured student received first aid before being taken to a hospital via ambulance. The college “acted properly” by making sure he received medical attention at the right time.
The student who sustained the damage has since returned to school, and the scholar who caused it has been suspended. Additionally, the school offers counseling and will take additional punitive actions. The school will assist in the decision process by assisting in their return to the former students ‘ relationships.
Kids whose children are involved in these incidents should be aware of this, but Mr. Chan urged them to help schools and authorities to manage matters appropriately. He warned against debate and emotionally charged people emotions, stating,” Without the full details, let us not surmise or jump in to complicate things further”.
The Education Minister argued that schools are best equipped to handle these situations and put forth correct punitive and therapeutic measures with their experience and expert.
2023 affair
In response to the 2023 affair involving a student who fell from a height, Mr. Chan said,” MOE is deeply saddened by this damage, and our sympathies are with her family and loved people.”
He acknowledged the difficulty of deaths, stating that the causes and probable causes are varied. Our school rulers work closely with affected students and their families to maintain their grief when such events occur. MOE maintains strict secrecy when handling these scenarios and doesn’t reveal anything about the incident or the family’s conditions to the general public.
I want to inform members of the House that the class went above and beyond to help the pupil as she navigated personal difficulties now that this particular case has been brought to public attention.
Mr. Chan added that throughout the entire operation, school staff reached out to support and collaborate with the child’s home. He refuted the “one-sided complaints” made against Admiralty Secondary School, stating that they do not reflect the full image. These claims ignore the significant attempts the school made to support the pupil and her home in their moment of need.
Ms. Poa questioned whether MOE monitors the outcomes of restoration efforts, such as tracking how many students who have been victims of bullying or violent behavior reoffend.
Mr. Chan responded by not directly addressing whether Mo monitors these results, but instead emphasized that bullying cases in Singapore schools are uncommon and that the level of repeat offenses is very small.
