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River Valley High tragedy: Media advised against approaching students and staff after incident, but entitled to be in nearby public areas “as long as they wanted”, says Rahayu Mahzam

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3 years ago

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While members of the media were advised against approaching the students and staff of River Valley High School on the day the alleged murder of a Secondary One student took place, they were entitled to be in nearby public areas “as long as they wanted”, said Parliamentary Secretary for Communications and Information Rahayu Mahzam in Parliament on Tuesday (3 August).

A 16-year-old student from the school has been charged with murdering the Secondary One boy. An axe was seized by the police as evidence.

Citing online accounts from affected students, Alex Yam of Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC asked if there were more measures that the Ministry of Communications and Information could have taken to prevent students from feeling harassed by the media on the day the tragedy took place.

Ms Rahayu said that the Government is “fully aware of the anguish felt by the students and parents” and had sought the media’s understanding to refrain from approaching students and school staff outside the River Valley High premises.

“However, as reporters and media crew are in public areas … They were entitled to be there as long as they wanted, because they were not breaking any public safety laws. So there was only so much the authorities could do to actually disperse them,” she added.

“I understand this is something that was causing pain to the staff and students. But we hope this is something we can continue to manage,” said Ms Rahayu.

“We must understand that it was not just the media – both mainstream as well as online – but also members of the public who gathered outside the school once the news broke, to offer their condolences and support, and expressions of sympathy.

“So we continue to appeal to both media and well-intentioned members of the public to give the much needed space to affected students and staff in such situations.”

Earlier, Workers’ Party Member of Parliament (MP) He Ting Ru of Sengkang GRC had asked for media guidelines on approaching minors in the aftermath of traumatic events such as the River Valley High incident.

Ms Rahayu replied that when a traumatic incident occurs, students and staff are naturally very affected, and safeguarding their wellbeing must be prioritised.

However, she noted that there is a “high level of public interest and concern” regarding such incidents, and said that the Government understands that “the media has a responsibility to ensure accurate news reporting”.

Such reporting can help prevent panic stemming from rumours and fake news circulating among the public, said Ms Rahayu.

Concurring with Education Minister Chan Chun Sing’s ministerial statement on 27 July regarding the tragedy, Ms Rahayu noted that the media were not granted access to the school compound and were restricted to public areas outside the school grounds.

The media was asked not to press students or staff for interviews, or to take photographs of them in a way that could identify the individuals, she said.

Doing so would have exacerbated the stress they were going through, said Ms Rahayu.

The media were also encouraged to give the school space to recover from the incident, she added.

Additionally, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) has also reminded the media about the legal protections accorded to those under 18 via the Children and Young Persons’ Act, said Ms Rahayu.

The Act prohibits the publishing and broadcasting of photographs and other identifying information related to minors involved in court proceedings, including of those who are called as witnesses, and even if the revelation of such information is inadvertent.

“We will continue to work closely and engage with the media to enable them to do their job even amidst such tragedies while prioritising the wellbeing of those involved,” said Ms Rahayu.

Ms He then asked what recourse is available to the public, victims, and their families if they have concerns regarding the conduct of the media in the wake of a traumatic event, and what can be done to educate them on the avenues they could pursue.

Ms Rahayu reiterated the protections offered to minors under the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA).

“So if any mainstream or online media, or for that matter, anyone in his or her own capacity ends up publishing any information that identifies a minor, there is legal recourse to take the offender to task,” she said.

It was earlier reported that the students were ushered by staff from the school on the day of the incident and they were not permitted to speak to the media.

“We understand, of course, that this is after the fact and students and parents would rather not be put through this situation in the first place. So, we therefore appeal to the media and all members of the public to exercise empathy and good judgement,” Ms Rahayu stressed.

On 19 July — the day the incident took place — Mr Chan said in a Facebook post that his ministry and the police “will be sharing more details on the case in due course”.

MOE, he added, is rendering all possible support to the families of affected students, as well as the students and staff at the school at large.

“The safety and well-being of our students and staff are of paramount importance to us.

“We are determined to work with parents and students to keep our schools safe and have our children grow up and learn together in a trusted environment,” said Mr Chan.

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Police investigate assault on Qihua Primary School student after video surfaces online

The police are investigating an assault on a Qihua Primary School student after a video showing the attack emerged online. A teenager is seen repeatedly hitting the boy, prompting concerns about student safety. This is the second bullying video to surface within a week, with a similar incident involving Bukit View Secondary School reported earlier.

Published

2 weeks ago

on

24 September 2024

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SINGAPORE: The police are investigating a case involving a student from Qihua Primary School, who was repeatedly attacked by a teenager.

The investigation was launched after a video of the incident emerged online, the authorities confirmed on 23 September.

According to a report by CNA, a formal complaint has been lodged with the police, and the investigation is ongoing.

The video, which lasts approximately 43 seconds, has been circulating on social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram.

It shows a teenager, dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans, physically assaulting a smaller boy wearing a school uniform from Qihua Primary, located in Woodlands.

In the video, the victim is cornered in a stairwell, where the teenager punches, kicks, and hurls him to the ground.

The aggressor orders the boy to put his hands behind his back before delivering punches to his stomach.

At several points, the boy is grabbed by the neck and thrown to the floor, where he continues to endure kicks and punches.

Throughout the attack, the boy repeatedly says, “Sorry, sorry, I won’t do it again,” while being taunted by the teenager and another individual, who may have been filming the incident.

At one point, the teenager can be heard asking, “You want to fight? You sure?” as the victim, now in tears, continues apologizing and insisting he will not repeat his actions.

The exact timing of the incident remains unclear.

Video source: Telegram/sgfollowsall

Qihua Primary School has acknowledged the situation, confirming that it is under police investigation.

“The safety and well-being of our students is our priority. We have provided counselling to the affected students and are working closely with their parents to ensure the well-being of all involved,” the school stated.

They further emphasized the importance of students looking out for each other and reporting any incidents of bullying to their teachers.

Second Bullying Video Emerges Within a Week

This incident marks the second time a bullying video has surfaced online in a week.

A separate TikTok video, posted about a week ago, showed a student from Bukit View Secondary School being taunted and kicked to the ground by a group of teenagers.

Bukit View Secondary School’s principal, Jaswant Singh, told The Straits Times that the incident occurred in October 2023 outside of school premises and was not initially reported to the school. The parents of the victim have since lodged a police report.

Following the video’s circulation, the school immediately checked on the victim, who did not report any injuries.

Mr Singh emphasized the school’s serious stance on such behaviour, stating that the students involved would be counseled and face appropriate disciplinary actions.

The victim’s parents have since lodged a police report. The police have confirmed that investigations are ongoing regarding the bullying incident.

In response to a Parliamentary Question filed by Melvin Yong, Member of Parliament for Radin Mas SMC, in September 2022, the Education Minister noted that since 2013, the number of reported bullying incidents has remained consistent, with approximately two cases per 1,000 primary students and five cases per 1,000 secondary students each year.

He emphasised that the MOE takes a serious stance on bullying and collaborates with schools to send a clear message that hurtful behavior is unacceptable in any school environment.

Helplines

If you or someone you know is in need of support, the following helplines are available:

  • Samaritans of Singapore Hotline: 1767
  • Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
  • Institute of Mental Health (24 hours): 6389-2222
  • Tinkle Friend (for primary school-aged children): 1800-274-4788

You can discover a directory of global helplines on this page.

If someone you are aware of is facing an imminent threat, please dial 24-hour emergency services.

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Education

Singapore to expand Higher Mother Tongue access in secondary schools from 2026

Singapore will allow students who excel in their Mother Tongue Language at the PSLE to take Higher Mother Tongue in secondary school starting in 2026, regardless of their overall PSLE score. The new policy is part of broader efforts to promote bilingualism and strengthen linguistic proficiency.

Published

4 weeks ago

on

16 September 2024

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SINGAPORE: From 2026, students who perform well in their Mother Tongue Language (MTL) at the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) will be eligible to study Higher Mother Tongue at Secondary 1, regardless of their overall PSLE score, announced Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing on 14 September.

Under the current system, only students with an overall PSLE score of 8 or better, or those with a score between 9 and 14 who also achieve an AL1 or AL2 in MTL, or at least a merit in Higher Mother Tongue (HMTL), can qualify to take HMTL in secondary school.

However, from 2026, eligibility will be based solely on their MTL performance.

Students will be able to study HMTL if they score AL1 or AL2 in MTL or attain a distinction or merit in HMTL at the PSLE, regardless of their overall score.

Mr Chan, speaking at the 2024 Mother Tongue Languages Symposium, emphasised the importance of supporting students with linguistic strengths.

“All of us have different strengths and talents. Some students may be strong in languages but not in other subjects,” he said.

“We will support more of these students to take Higher Mother Tongue, so they can learn their MTL to as high a level as possible.”

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to promote bilingualism, which Mr Chan described as a “cornerstone of Singapore’s education system” and a key aspect of Singapore’s national identity.

He noted that bilingualism not only helps to strengthen the country’s social fabric but also enhances cognitive abilities, such as empathy and the understanding of different perspectives.

In a related development, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced the launch of the MTL SOAR programme, which will begin in 2025 for Primary 1 and 2 students.

Under this programme, 30 minutes of the Mother Tongue curriculum will be allocated to reading and library activities, with the initiative to be extended to all primary levels by 2029.

The programme aims to support diverse learners by providing supplementary reading materials tailored to different proficiency levels.

Mr Chan highlighted the programme’s adaptability, explaining that “those who are stronger in mother tongue proficiency can read more books that are richer in content and be stretched in their learning, while those who need more support will have books that are more accessible for them.”

Additionally, as part of a pilot programme, MOE will extend the daily Mother Tongue curriculum at MOE Kindergartens from one hour to 1.5 hours, beginning with the 2025 Kindergarten 1 cohort at MK@Hougang and MK@Elias Park.

The pilot will be gradually expanded to more kindergartens.

The series of initiatives follows Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s National Day Rally speech in August, where he acknowledged concerns about declining standards in Mother Tongue proficiency and announced plans to enable more students to take Higher Mother Tongue in secondary schools.

Mr Chan underscored the cognitive and cultural benefits of bilingualism, stating, “The ability to speak two languages and understand two cultures enables us to maintain a strong link to our heritage and forge connections with people around the world.”

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