SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Education (MOE) will review its approach to bullying, focusing on school culture, values education, teacher support, and parent partnerships, Education Minister Desmond Lee said on 27 August.
He acknowledged that there is room for improvement, particularly in cases where schools delay informing parents while verifying facts.
Such delays, he added, can create unnecessary anxiety for both parents and children.
“Any form of hurtful behaviour is wrong and unacceptable,” said Lee, emphasising the importance of close collaboration between schools and families to build trust.
Four Areas of Focus
Speaking ahead of a dialogue session at MOE headquarters in Buona Vista, Lee outlined the ministry’s priorities in its ongoing review.
The first focus will be on strengthening school culture and processes.
This includes refining anti-bullying policies, reinforcing discipline, and enhancing rehabilitation and restorative practices.
The ministry also intends to make reporting channels more accessible to students, while promoting peer support networks and cultivating a stronger culture of kindness within schools.
Values education will also be enhanced, with lessons incorporating real-life scenarios and contemporary examples to help students reflect on their actions.
This approach is aimed at nurturing empathy, perspective-taking, problem-solving and conflict resolution skills.
To better support educators, MOE will expand professional development opportunities and increase the use of technology to ease teachers’ workload.
Lee said these efforts would allow teachers to dedicate more time and energy to guiding their students effectively.
The review will also examine ways to strengthen collaboration with parents.
Lee highlighted the need for respectful communication, positive role-modelling at home, and greater resources to help families support their children in developing healthy online and offline habits.
Recent Incidents Highlight Concerns
Lee’s remarks follow several high-profile bullying cases that have sparked public concern.
At Sengkang Green Primary School, a Primary 3 pupil bullied a classmate and sent death threats to the girl’s mother, who later reported the matter to both the school and the police.
In a separate incident, a viral video showed a student pointing a knife at another outside a school.
Meanwhile, three Secondary 1 students were involved in a fight at Montfort Secondary School.
“These incidents have understandably heightened all our anxieties about the safety and well-being of our children in and out of school,” Lee said.
He added that today’s students navigate increasingly complex social environments, including digital platforms such as WhatsApp, social media and Discord—spaces that many parents did not experience during their own school years.
Building Safe School Environments
Concerns about bullying are frequently raised online, with parents and members of the public calling for greater transparency in how schools handle such cases and clearer communication on disciplinary measures.
Lee stressed that educators play a vital role in guiding students, administering discipline and, in serious situations, referring matters to the police.
While acknowledging the complexity of bullying—often involving differing perspectives on appropriate responses—he emphasised that the common goal must be to ensure schools remain safe spaces.
He also underlined his belief that children and young people can learn and grow with the right support and guidance.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Lee said he has asked Minister of State for Education Jasmin Lau to work with him and the MOE team on the review.
She will lead engagement efforts with parents, educators, professionals and the wider community.
Consultations will continue until the end of 2025, with the ministry expected to release its recommendations and follow-up actions in the first half of 2026.
Calls for Independent Oversight
However, MOE’s current approach to handling bullying has garnered criticism online, with some netizens dismissing it as mere “monitoring” and expressing doubts about its effectiveness in preventing future incidents.
Several users called for MOE to establish an independent or external taskforce to tackle bullying, noting that relying solely on school teachers is not effective.
One user suggested that a dedicated department should be created, complete with a hotline or email contact, to investigate reported bullying cases outside the school system.
“While we can appreciate MOE taking further steps on this matter, perhaps it is also timely that MOE establish a hotline or email contact with the appropriate resourcing for a new department to investigate the reported bullying outside the school system,” the user commented.
The user added that this department should report directly to the minister, similarly to how the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau reports to the Prime Minister, ensuring greater transparency in the handling of cases.
Another user emphasised that such a taskforce would reassure students that there is an impartial third party—“much like a protector”—able to step in without prejudice whenever they feel threatened.
Calls for Harsher Penalties
Netizens also advocated for harsher penalties for bullies to serve as a deterrent. 
One user emphasised that prevention alone is not sufficient, as in many cases the damage caused by bullying is permanent and irreparable.
“Clear plans on more stringent punishments are absolutely necessary in school! This will act as a deterrent for both bullies and their parents,” the user said.
Another user argued that bullying is borderline criminal and that the approach to handling it should reflect the seriousness of the offence.
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