'He would wake up feeling very fearful': Children allegedly pinched, locked in dark room by pre-school teachers

A pre-school here has suspended three teachers who allegedly abused several children under their care.

Speaking to AsiaOne on Wednesday (Feb 28), two parents of the affected kids shared that they have withdrawn their children from the pre-school located in the north-east.

A mother, who declined to be named, shared that her three-year-old son has been enrolled in the centre since July 2022 and has not faced any problems until a management change at the pre-school in January this year.

It was also around this time that she noticed behavioural changes in her son. He became "very violent" and started using language not typically used at home.

"For example, when he was upset, he will start saying 'I chop you', 'I cut you' and 'I punch you'," she said.

"When he got emotional or threw a tantrum, he would start pinching our arms and body," recounted the mother, who added that her son would "keep laughing" while performing those actions.

The boy also started experiencing frequent nightmares over the past two months.

"Every time he had those intense episodes at night, it seems as though he remembered what he was dreaming about, and he would wake up feeling very fearful," she said.

"He'll wake up and go, 'Scared, scared, I want mama', and I had to hold him for him to be nursed back to bed."

Locked in dark room

The alleged abuse came to light last Thursday, when another teacher from the pre-school pulled the mother aside and tearfully hinted at something wrong, encouraging the latter to speak to her son.

That very night, the three-year-old boy told his parents that his teachers had grabbed him and put him in a "dark room" on Feb 21, his mother told AsiaOne. 

This was to punish him for playing with water in the school's toilet, and the boy said he was left alone in the room although it is unclear for how long he was confined.

This 'punishment' had occurred multiple times, whenever the boy misbehaved at school, his mother said.

Boy allegedly pinched several times 

Later that week, the boy told his mother that his teachers would pinch his arm and feet in the school's toilet.

The teachers would allegedly 'chop' his hands when he misbehaved, and allegedly get his classmates to 'chop' his hands as well.

The boy reportedly told his mum: "Last time I cried mummy, but teacher say funny, so it's funny."

He also said that the teachers would use craft scissors to 'cut' him across the neck and pull on his hair.

The mother said she met with the school's management on Monday (Feb 26) where she saw CCTV footage of her child being "thrown" into the "pitch dark" room.

"There was no audio, but from their body language, they (the teachers) were very aggressive. They leaned forward and their mouth was moving very rapidly, so it looked like they were scolding him," she told AsiaOne.

"I saw from the back view that [my son] was trembling and rubbing his thighs, something he does when he's very very nervous."

The mother immediately withdrew her child from the pre-school and lodged a police report on the same day.

Other children recount similar incidents

Another parent, a father, told AsiaOne that he received a circular on Tuesday, informing parents that there had been a "child mismanagement incident" involving three teachers.

In the circular dated Feb 26 seen by AsiaOne, the pre-school's director said that three teachers had been suspended with immediate effect, and the school had reported the incident to the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA).

Alarmed by the contents of the circular, this father said he immediately asked his four-year-old son if he had experienced similar incidents in school, to which the boy said that his teachers had hit him and locked him in a dark room before.

"[My son] has told me that incidents such as [being put in] the dark room and the beatings did not have a trigger. Even when he was not naughty, the teachers did these to him anyway." the father told AsiaOne.

A WhatsApp group chat has been also formed with over 10 other parents whose children were affected by the alleged abuse.

The father has not lodged a police report but said he and his wife will be taking legal action.

Investigations underway: Police, pre-school

Responding to AsiaOne's queries, the police confirmed that a report was lodged, adding that investigations are ongoing.

The pre-school's management told AsiaOne they take the recent allegations very seriously and are deeply concerned about the welfare of all children enrolled in the school.

The pre-school is currently investigating the incidents and cooperating with the authorities and the ECDA, said the management.

"The safety and well-being of our students are our top priorities, and any form of misconduct or abuse by staff members is absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

"We understand the gravity of the situation and the concerns of parents, and we are committed to ensuring a safe and nurturing environment for all children entrusted to us. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this difficult time."

Parents urged to report child mismanagement to ECDA or police

In response to AsiaOne's queries, an ECDA spokesperson said that they received reports from a parent as well as the pre-school about the alleged incidents on Feb 26.

The agency has commenced investigations, which include an unannounced visit to the pre-school, the review of CCTV footages, interviews and verification of records.

ECDA also confirmed that the three staff members involved have been suspended by the pre-school since Feb 26.

"To safeguard children's safety, ECDA will not allow the staff to work elsewhere in the pre-school sector while investigations are ongoing," said the spokesperson.

"ECDA has instructed the pre-school operator to closely monitor the children and check their well-being, as well as provide close supervision and guidance to its staff."

The case is still under investigation by both ECDA and the police.

They agency added that they will take firm action against pre-school educators and operators when they are found guilty of not fulfilling their duty of care to the children under their charge. ECDA will also issue warnings to educators who use inappropriate child management practices.

"For serious cases where there appears to be clear intent to harm the child, the case will be referred to the police for criminal investigation. Individuals who are found to have committed serious acts of child mismanagement will be barred from working in the pre-school sector," said the agency. 

"Parents who suspect that their child has been subject to child mismanagement should report the matter to ECDA or the police so that investigations can be carried out and due process be taken."

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com