PUBLISHED ONAugust 06, 2026 3:45 AMBYKoh Xing YingA parent has spoken out about a school's handling of an alleged assault involving her secondary 1 son, who suffered facial injuries requiring seven stitches to his upper lip after he was allegedly thrown to the ground by a classmate.
Speaking to AsiaOne, the boy's mother, who wished to be known only as Belle, said the incident occurred on May 28 when her son, Kyle, was walking from the school hall to the canteen during recess.
"My son was walking to buy lunch when one of his classmates spat on his back out of the blue," said the mother of two.
"Instead of fighting back, my son just wiped the saliva off his shirt and onto the classmate's shirt. The classmate then became angry and shoved him to the ground."
Belle added that her son, a student at Outram Secondary School, was not close to the classmate and that there had been no prior conflict between them.
Following the incident, Belle said the school informed her that her son had been taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital, where he received treatment for his injuries.
According to Belle, Kyle suffered a cut to his upper lip requiring seven stitches, as well as fractures in his jaw, three loose teeth, one broken tooth, and bruising to his elbow.
"As a mother, seeing your child injured in such a state is heartbreaking. It broke my heart to see him in pain and having to go through the stitches and recovery process," she said.
Belle added that she also filed a police report on the day of the incident.
In an email seen by AsiaOne, the police informed Belle that they had completed their investigations and that, after careful consideration and consultation with the Attorney-General's Chambers, it was decided that the accused would be administered a stern warning.
Beyond his physical injuries, Belle said the incident has also affected Kyle emotionally, as he was initially reluctant to return to school and continues to have occasional nightmares.
While Belle shared that Kyle is gradually re-adjusting to school life with support from his friends, she said she was disappointed with the school's handling of the disciplinary process.
"On June 22, the school informed me that the student involved in my son's assault would be caned. However, to this day, no disciplinary action has been taken, nor has any apology been given," said Belle.
She added that, to her knowledge, the only action taken by the school was transferring the student to a different class so that Kyle could remain with his original classmates.
Belle said she now hopes for closure on the matter.
"The school also did not put me in touch with the boy's parents, and I have yet to meet them or hear from them. I do not even know if his parents were informed about the incident," she said.
"Nothing is going to change what my son had to go through, but I just wanted some form of accountability, and as of now, there hasn't even been any attempt from the other side to reach out."
Responding to queries from AsiaOne, Outram Secondary School principal Keith Tan said the school is aware of the incident and has taken the matter seriously.
He said that when the incident occurred, a teacher accompanied Kyle to the hospital, where he was discharged on the same day.
"The school subsequently conducted comprehensive investigations, including multiple rounds of interviews and re-enactments with eyewitnesses, to rigorously establish the facts of the case," said Tan.
The school added that it has maintained close contact with the families of both students, keeping them informed of the findings and disciplinary outcomes in accordance with the school's disciplinary framework.
It also said a safety plan has been in place for Kyle to support his well-being and recovery, including counselling support, measures to minimise contact with the other student, and excusing him from contact sports during his recovery period.
The school added that the other student has been transferred to another class.
It added that it is carrying out appropriate disciplinary measures for this student, which includes suspension, adjustment of conduct grade and other consequences, in accordance with the school's disciplinary framework.
"We continue to engage the families of both students closely. The school remains committed to safeguarding the well-being of all students and maintaining a safe and respectful school environment," said Tan.
On April 15, Education Minister Desmond Lee said measures to address bullying and hurtful behaviour in schools would be strengthened, including improvements to reporting channels and disciplinary processes.
Lee said a comprehensive review of anti-bullying measures had been conducted following engagements with parents and students, and that the revised measures would be implemented progressively.
These include enhancing values education, strengthening school culture and processes, building schools' and staff members' capacity, and strengthening school-home-community partnerships.
Under the enhanced disciplinary framework, first-time offenders may face one to three days of detention and/or suspension, one stroke of the cane, and grade adjustments.
For more serious offences, penalties may include three to five days of detention and/or suspension, up to two strokes of the cane, and grade adjustments.
[[nid:740281]]
xingying.koh@asiaone.com
