It's every pre-school parent's nightmare — to learn that their child has been in potential danger while under the care of those they trust. This is the reality facing parents at one local pre-school, where a disturbing incident involving a non-teaching staff member and a two-year-old girl has recently come to light.
The Incident That Shook Pre-School Parents
On November 9th, a horrifying episode unfolded when a two-year-old girl was allegedly molested by a non-teaching staff member. The accused, a 59-year-old Malaysian man and Singapore permanent resident, was charged in court with one count of using criminal force on a person below 14 years old with intent to outrage modesty. The identity of the victim and the location of the pre-school have been protected for the sake of privacy.
Delayed Reporting Raises Questions Among Pre-School Parents
Parents are now pressing the principal and management to explain the delay in reporting the incident, which only came to the attention of local authorities on December 2nd. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), the regulatory body for the early childhood sector, was notified the following day.
The ECDA has clear expectations for pre-schools, stating that all serious incidents affecting children's safety must be reported within 24 hours. If it is proven that there was an unreasonable delay in reporting, the pre-school will be held accountable. This delay has left many pre-school parents disillusioned and demanding answers.
Concerns Over Non-Teaching Staff Access to Children
Pre-school parents are also questioning how the non-teaching staff member was allowed access to the children. Parents had reportedly expressed concerns about this issue before the incident, but claim these concerns were not addressed by the pre-school. Following the incident, the accused staff member has been dismissed.
The Need for Transparency and Reassurance
As the parents of young children, pre-school parents need reassurance that there were no safety lapses. They argue that transparency is crucial, as toddlers are not able to understand what abuse is and cannot articulate when something bad happens to them.
Parents have been encouraged to approach their children’s teachers and principal to clarify matters. However, many parents have been met with a less than satisfactory response. They were told, "We are sorry for what happened, but we cannot share more."
Moving Forward: Ensuring Safety in Pre-Schools
The ECDA has instructed the pre-school to closely monitor its children and provide close supervision and guidance to its staff. The agency also checks if potential staff members have any previous criminal offences involving children, or have been barred earlier from working in the pre-school sector.
As pre-school parents, it's essential to stay informed and vigilant about your child's safety. It's our collective responsibility to ensure that our children are safe, cared for, and protected, even in environments where they should feel most secure.
We urge you to join us in advocating for transparency and accountability in our pre-schools. Let's work together to make sure incidents like this do not happen again.
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