Pre-school's wall vandalised

Vulgarities, pictures of male private parts, and "no use education" were scrawled across a white wall outside a pre-school in Woodlands on Monday. Mr James P., an American government official whose child attends Sweetlands Childcare Woodlands 896B, wrote to citizen journalism website Stomp on Thursday and posted photos of the graffiti. He said he was shocked to see the graffiti when he took his six-year-old Singaporean son to the centre on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old told The Straits Times: "It's probably a one-off incident, but I think it's quite inappropriate for kids to see the graffiti, especially the pictures of the male private parts." He also wrote on Stomp: "Looking at the quality of the writing and 'artwork', it's apparent the authors are barely literate and quite childish."

He added that benches at a play area near the centre were vandalised with spray paint last week. Staff at the childcare centre discovered the graffiti on Monday evening. The wall has since been cleaned.

Sweetlands director Chan Chew Shia said none of its 10 centres has been vandalised before. It has four centres in Woodlands. But to prevent further vandalism, the Woodlands centre plans to install closed-circuit television cameras outside its premises, said Madam Chan.

The centre lodged a police report on Monday.

goyshiyi@sph.com.sg

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