SINGAPORE — Recently, netizens have expressed concern over a video depicting a woman physically assaulting and verbally abusing a girl at a tuition center in Toa Payoh Central.
The video, which went viral on social media last week, lasts two minutes and 51 seconds.
It shows a girl kneeling before a woman wearing a black short-sleeved top, with her right hand raised to her face. The woman, sitting behind a desk, appears to be grading assignments.
In the video, the woman can be seen using a pen to strike the girl’s face while scolding her in Vietnamese. She accuses the girl of lying and insists that she put down her right hand.
In response, the girl lowers her right hand and defends herself in Vietnamese, denying the accusation of lying. She questions why she is being hit and requests the woman to stop.
According to the subtitle, the teacher told the student she was only beating on her face, and the student accused her for having poked her eyes.
The teacher kept hitting the student’s face with the pen, and accused her for kept lying while the student denied it. Agitated by the girl’s response, she struck the girl again.
The incident occurred at ALT Learning of School Afterschool Care and Tuition, according to the information provided in the post.
@tiffanychee88 ♬ nhạc nền – Funny family’s Việt- Singapore – Funny family’s Việt- Singapore
Several netizens took to social media to share posts warning Vietnamese families to steer clear of the same teacher, claiming that the teacher seen in the video was involved in the bullying of students.
Furthermore, additional individuals shared their experiences on social media, alleging that another student was subjected to abuse at the tuition center.
One person even attached a photo of a WhatsApp conversation displaying pictures of a boy with injuries on his neck and head.
Owner of the centre claimed to be obtained parent’s approval for “discipline” the girl
According to Mothership, the owner of the centre, Bui Thi Xuyen, provided an explanation regarding the incident captured in the video. She stated that the incident occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic, but she couldn’t recall the exact date.
Bui clarified that the girl in the video is her goddaughter, and she has known her since she was seven years old. The girl is currently 14 years old.
She claimed that she had informed the girl’s parents in advance about her intention to discipline her, and she had received their approval.
Bui mentioned that she was disciplining the girl for various reasons, including smoking.
According to Bui, she still maintains a good relationship with the girl and her parents.
Ms Bui said she had filed a police report regarding the video last Wednesday (31 May).
According to the police report, a mother of a former student at Bui’s school was allegedly involved in sharing the video on Facebook.
Bui is currently engaged in a legal dispute with the same individual.
The person in question reportedly withdrew her child from the school without giving prior notice and demanded a refund of $800 in school fees.
According to Bui’s statement, the person has been allegedly harassing and pressuring her for the refund.
Following the viral spread of the video, Bui filed another lawsuit against the person for causing harassment, alarm, or distress.