Father alleges son was bullied at River Valley Primary, school clarifies it was an accident

SINGAPORE: A Primary Three student from River Valley Primary School (RVPS) was allegedly bullied by another student during recess on Monday (6 Oct). The father of the alleged victim took to TikTok to describe what had happened. His video detailed his version of events and criticised the school’s handling of the situation. In the video, the father claimed that his son was sitting down to eat when another student, allegedly named "Harizan", snatched his son's wallet and ran off. His son chased the “bully” but was allegedly punched by him after catching up. According to the father, his son suffered a concussion and felt dizzy afterwards. The boy later returned to his table, but the same student allegedly took his snack and ate it. The father expressed frustration at how the school responded, saying that staff brought his son to the general office but did not call for medical assistance. “What are River Valley Primary School teachers doing? You know my son telling you he’s feeling dizzy, you all put him in the sick bay and sit there. You should have gotten a paramedic to check on him,” he said in the video. He added that he had to contact the police and ambulance himself upon arriving at the school. The Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed that it received a call for assistance at 2 River Valley Green at about 1.15pm on 6 October. One person was conveyed to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. The father also said he wanted to speak with the alleged bully—not to scold him, but to help him understand the seriousness of the incident. However, he claimed the school declined, saying it would handle the cases separately and contact the other student’s parents. He later stated that he had filed a police report and intended to engage a lawyer, adding that his son is now afraid to return to school. The video, which has since taken down but was reposted on Reddit, sparked discussion among users. One parent commented that their son had also been allegedly bullied by the same student.

School Says Incident Was an Accident

In response, River Valley Primary School principal Jennifer Pang said on 8 October that the school’s investigations determined the incident was an accident, not an assault as described on social media. She explained that the incident involved three pupils aged eight to nine. According to Pang, Student A—identified in the TikTok video as the alleged “bully”—had taken Student B’s wallet and snack. Student B then asked his friend, Student C, to chase Student A around the canteen. “During the chase, Student C accidentally hit Student B’s lips with the wallet during the tussle,” Pang said, adding that Student A did not punch Student B as alleged. “The school will help the students learn from the incident and work towards a positive resolution of the matter,” she said, adding that RVPS is engaging the parents involved to explain what transpired and to monitor the pupils’ wellbeing.

Minister’s past warning on social media vigilantism

In February 2025, then Education Minister Chan Chun Sing cautioned against social media-driven vigilantism by adults, warning that such behaviour could worsen school-related conflicts. Chan was responding to parliamentary questions about two incidents at Admiralty Secondary School that went viral after being shared on Facebook by students’ relatives. He said the spread of incomplete information online had “heightened sensitivities” and triggered “increased social media vigilante actions”. “These actions can normalise extreme reactions and hinder rehabilitative efforts,” he said, adding that even limited “unhelpful involvement” from adults could complicate matters and make it harder for schools to guide students. Chan also noted that some adults had shown up at schools or threatened staff over such cases, calling such behaviour “wrong”. He urged parents to allow schools and authorities to manage such incidents rather than intervening or speculating online. Chan previously stated in October 2024 that Singapore recorded an annual average of two bullying incidents per 1,000 primary school students, and six per 1,000 in secondary schools—covering all forms of bullying both inside and outside school grounds.

MOE may clarify facts if social media spreads one-sided narratives

In March, then Second Minister for Education Maliki Osman said schools in Singapore prefer to handle cases of fighting or bullying privately to help students learn from their mistakes. However, he noted that the MOE may release details if social media posts circulate a one-sided narrative that causes public concern or damages reputations. Dr Maliki cautioned that viral videos often present only a partial perspective, leading to emotional reactions and premature judgments. He added that bystanders who record or share such incidents online may also be held accountable, as doing so can worsen harm and legitimise the behaviour. Referring to the February 2025 Montfort Secondary School case, he described it as a “teaching moment” on the need to understand incidents in full context before drawing conclusions.