1-9-2023 (SINGAPORE) In response to allegations of ill-treatment at a Kinderland pre-school, the principal, Mahirah Yasid, has been removed from her role in the centre and will no longer be permitted to engage in activities related to children. This action follows widespread circulation of videos depicting a teacher at the school allegedly mistreating students.
Seet Lee Kiang, the general manager of Kinderland Singapore, confirmed that Mahirah Yasid was redeployed to other roles in the company on Wednesday. Concerned parents had previously called for her dismissal and for her to be prohibited from working in the pre-school sector.
Seet, in an interview with The Straits Times, revealed that all parents of the pre-school have been invited to a dialogue session at the facility on Saturday at 10 a.m. He also disclosed that Kinderland’s management first learned of the incident on August 17, the same day the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) contacted the organization regarding the alleged abuse incidents. ECDA initiated investigations on August 10.
The management at Kinderland only became aware of the videos on August 28 when they surfaced online. Seet explained that Mahirah Yasid had viewed the full videos at ECDA’s office during the investigation, and she informed headquarters verbally on August 17 that the videos showed a teacher force-feeding and smacking children.
Kinderland initiated a disciplinary inquiry the next day and issued a warning letter to the teacher, 33-year-old Lin Min, on August 22 based on preliminary findings. Lin Min was subsequently terminated on August 28, following the completion of the inquiry.
On Tuesday, Lin Min was charged in court with ill-treating a child.
