SINGAPORE – A teacher at Gongshang Primary School has been relieved of her duties following complaints from parents about her disciplining methods.

Parents complained that the female teacher from the school in Tampines had resorted to abusive punishment of her pupils during lessons, TODAY reported.

Media reports note that the complaints about the math and science teacher started in early March.

One pupil recounted having to kneel beside the teacher’s table, while others have had things thrown at them.

According to one parent, Ms Karen Tan, her son together with his classmates, had been called “a bunch of retarded monkeys”, when the pupils had forgotten to bring their textbooks to class.

Ms Tan added that her son, who has high myopia, had to constantly walk closer to the whiteboard during lessons, to which the teacher chided him for it.

She apparently said: “Too bad you can’t see. Go get new spectacles.”

See also: More child abuse cases being investigated

Ms Tan revealed that in another incident, a playful pupil was made to sit on the floor beside the teacher. The teacher then allegedly flung a whiteboard marker at the boy’s head in a fit of anger.

As the incidents came to light, parents raised the matter to the pupils’ form teacher in March. The science head of department was also informed about the situation in April, TODAY reported.

The complaints may have been filed, but the pupils’ troubles were not over.

According to Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao, the teacher told the class that she knew the identities of the pupils who complained about her.

Frightened, the pupils begged their parents not to pursue the matter, Wanbao added.

According to Wanbao, the parents pointed out that the teacher may have had difficulty coping with a large class of 40, which also comprised some pupils with special needs.

While the Ministry of Education is currently investigating the matter, some parents told Wanbao that they just wanted the teacher to admit her mistakes and refrain from such teaching methods.

They added that there was no need for her to be fired.

debwong@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE – Roads leading to the Singapore Sports Hub will be closed on the afternoon and evening of July 16 because of a National Day preview show.

In a statement, the police said that the road along Stadium Drive leading to Stadium Place will be closed from 3.30pm to 11pm. The road along Nicoll Highway leading to Esplanade Drive and between Mountbatten Road and Middle Road will be closed from 6.30pm to 11pm. 

Stadium Road leading to Stadium Drive will be closed from 8pm to 11pm.

The police said that only authorised vehicles will be allowed to travel through the affected roads. The bus services affected by the road closures will be diverted.  

prabukm@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE – The City Harvest megachurch (CHC) has questioned a fresh police report by its former fund manager Chew Eng Han alleging fraudulent misrepresentation against eight church members.

CHC executive pastor Bobby Chaw said that as Chew had not raised any facts to substantiate his allegations, the church’s lawyers were of the view that these were “nothing more than ‘bare’ allegations”.

On Monday, Chew, 56, made a report with the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) alleging eight church leaders – including founding pastor Kong Hee and his wife, singer-pastor Ho Yeow Sun – conspired to cheat and misuse church funds. 

City Harvest trial verdict: All six accused found guilty of all charges

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Reuters, The Straits Times, AFP

Chew is one of six former and current CHC leaders who were convicted last year of financial fraud. He is also involved in a civil suit with CHC, in which the church is alleging he owes them $21 million in unreturned investments.

Chew, Kong and four other church leaders were found guilty of misusing around $50 million of church funds. The money was used as part of a plot to further the music career of Ms Ho. They were jailed between 21 months and eight years.

The six have appealed against their sentences and convictions. The appeal will be heard in September. 

5 things to know about the City Harvest trial

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The Straits Times, The New Paper, City Harvest Church

When contacted, the police confirmed a fresh report was lodged by Chew. “As police investigations are confidential, and the complainant Mr Chew also has an appeal against his conviction and sentence pending adjudication by the Supreme Court, it is inappropriate at this juncture for the police to comment further,” said the police spokesman.

In the new complaint, Chew is alleging that the eight had misrepresented facts to induce church members to donate generously.

Mr Chaw said Chew had e-mailed the church’s lawyers on June 30 notifying them that he intended to take up a civil suit against CHC for “various fraudulent misrepresentations which had allegedly caused or induced him to give his efforts and money to CHC”.

“Mr Chew claimed that he had suffered ‘financial damage which is recoverable via a civil suit’ and that he was also ‘seeking advice’ on the other possible steps that he could take,” he said, adding that the CHC received no further correspondence from Chew.

“Given that the CAD complaint seems to arise from the same facts as Mr Chew’s allegations, it appears that the matters raised in his latest complaint have already been raised in the ongoing criminal and civil proceedings.

“While we don’t know at this point what CAD will decide, the management and employees of CHC will continue to render our fullest co-operation to the authorities, if called upon.”

City Harvest trial

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The Straits Times, The New Paper, missystella.com

This article was first published on July 15, 2016.
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