School says disciplinary action taken after bullying incident leaves 11-year-old boy hospitalised

SINGAPORE: Earlier reports revealed that a bullying incident occurred at a primary school in northern Singapore, where an 11-year-old boy alleged that he was pushed, punched, and kicked by a fellow Primary 5 student. The incident, which allegedly occurred on 8 October, left the victim with injuries that required hospital treatment. The boy’s mother, Ms Chen, has since demanded an apology from the student and his parents, along with compensation for medical expenses. She expressed hope that this incident will lead to changes fostering a safer school environment. While the media did not disclose the school’s name, a Facebook post by Jonden Chan, a netizen who is reportedly related to the victim, identified Ahmad Ibrahim Primary School as the location of the alleged assault.

School affirms commitment to anti-bullying measures

According to 8World News, the school responded by confirming its firm stance against bullying, stating that disciplinary action had been taken and counselling provided to the student involved in the incident. The school added that appropriate measures were implemented to help the student learn from the episode. Additionally, the school assured it is in regular contact with Ms Chen and has taken steps to ensure her son’s continued safety on campus.

Mother seeks accountability

Ms Chen recounted that the incident began on 8 October in the school canteen during an oral examination. Her son reportedly slipped after touching a newly painted wall and shared the experience with his classmates. Moments later, another student, reportedly older and physically larger, approached him and demanded details about the incident. When the victim did not respond, he was verbally insulted before being pushed to the ground and assaulted. Teachers intervened after the report was made and administered first aid before moving him to the school office for further care. The mother, Ms Chen, 46, described her distress when she noticed swelling on her son’s head that evening, coupled with dizziness and nausea. She immediately took him to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a minor concussion. The mother also reported the case to the police, which was later confirmed by authorities. Ms Chen told 8world News that, although her son’s alleged attacker is also in Primary 5, as a foreign student, he is one to two years older than his classmates and is noticeably taller.

Victim's relative voices concern over limited school communication and lack of direct apology from assailant's parents

In a statement on Facebook, the victim’s relative, Jonden Chan, claimed his nephew had been punched and even kicked in the stomach. He criticised the school’s limited communication on the issue, noting that while the student’s parents had apologised to the school, they had yet to reach out to Ms Chen directly. Despite ongoing discussions with the school and appeals to her local Member of Parliament, Ms Chen said that a resolution has not yet been achieved. She added that the assailant’s parents have not apologised to her directly nor offered to cover her son’s medical expenses.

Latest incident highlights ongoing concerns over school bullying trends

In September, a video of a Bukit View Secondary School student being taunted and kicked circulated online, leading to police involvement. A week later, footage emerged of a Qihua Primary School pupil being attacked by an older boy, resulting in the arrest of five teenagers. More recently, in October, a Meridian Secondary School student reportedly suffered a ruptured eardrum after an attack by schoolmates.

Education Minister: Bullying incidents steady over 5 years

According to the Ministry of Education (MOE), the number of reported bullying incidents in Singapore has remained “steady” over the past five years. On average, there are two incidents per 1,000 primary school students and six incidents per 1,000 secondary school students annually. These figures encompass all forms of bullying, both on school premises and offsite. In Parliament, Minister Chan Chun Sing responded to concerns regarding the adequacy of bullying reporting channels. He emphasised the importance of empowering students to report troubling incidents and assured that systems are in place to facilitate communication between affected students and adults. “We want to give people and students the confidence that if you are in doubt, where you feel troubled, you should be able to use the existing channels to report it to the adults and then have the adults work with the students to see how they can mend the relationships and move the relationships forward,” Minister Chan said.