Last week, two childcare centres went under the spotlight by both the authorities and the public over accusations of mistreating kids left in their care.
While both centres – Sparkletots Childcare at Teck Whye Lane and Sam’s Learning Centre at Jalan Mutiara – are currently undergoing investigation, the latter has gone on record to deny that any such abuse actually took place.
ICYMI, these are photos – uploaded on WeChat by user Singapore Tong – of the alleged ill-treatments going on in the childcare centre:
Left: A child said to be sleeping in a shit-smeared cot
Right: Children claimed to have been told to sleep on the cold, hard floor
Left: “Rotten fruit” being prepared for children’s meals.
Right: Children left to play on their own without adult supervision
In their statement to the media yesterday, they claimed that the alleged pictures were likely to have been uploaded by a disgruntled ex-employee who has returned home to China.
To everyone’s relief (or outrage, depending on whether you buy their story), the director of the centre, Samia El-Ibiary, stated that each of these photos have a justification for their existence:
- For the post showing fruits on the table accompanied by the accusation that these fruits were actually rotten — in reality, they were uncut fruits that weren’t ready to be served to the children. Mrs Samia clarified that, “The centre purchases fruit twice a week and certainly if any part does go bad overnight, (it) is cut out and thrown away. Certainly, if the whole fruit is bad, for sure it is disposed of.”
- With regards to the children “sleeping on cold, hard floor”, she explained that the children were doing “breathing and stretching exercises” after lunch.
- The alleged accusation that the centre discards milk powder was explained away by claiming the powder spilt on the counter and was swept and discarded for hygiene reasons.
- Regarding the horrifying snap of a toddler lying in the cot (allegedly) dirtied with faeces, Samia said that the child “had a habit of pulling his diapers off while in the process of having a bowel movement during his nap time” and that the teachers have always kept a “vigilant lookout” for him. She also added that the child was under the centre’s care last year and that he and his family have since returned to their home country.
Despite Channel NewsAsia reporting that the Early Childhood Development Authority has cleared Sam’s Learning Centre of all its accusations (following an investigation that included surprise visits, interviews with children, staff and parents), netizens remained unconvinced:
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