Kinderland Now Bars Staff From Using Personal Device After Videos of Abuse Went Viral

By
Chew Ming Hui
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There’s a new update to the Kinderland saga of alleged child abuse.

The preschool has now barred staff from using their personal devices during work hours.

Yes, you read that right. The Kinderland staff are banned from scrolling Instagram or Goody Feed while at work. And above all, they won’t be able to access their camera app.

Summary of the Kinderland Saga Thus Far

ICYMI, the preschool Kinderland Singapore, found itself in the crosshairs of Singaporeans this week after videos of alleged child abuse inflicted by Kinderland teachers went viral.

There are two key videos: The first takes place at the Woodlands Mart branch of Kinderland, and the second at the Sunshine Place, Choa Chu Kang branch of Kinderland.

Both videos involved teachers deploying questionable methods to have students drink water.

In the first video, a 33-year-old teacher was observed to force a 23-month-old girl to lie down before pouring water into her mouth.

In the second video, a 48-year-old teacher was seen forcing a boy to drink water before allegedly hitting him.

I mean, hydration is important, but going to such an extent is… hmm… 

Both teachers involved have been arrested for alleged abuse of children—the first arrested on Monday (28 August) and the second arrested on Tuesday (29 August).

You can read more about the incidents here.

The whistleblower has since come out to explain her rationale behind uploading the videos. Kinderland has also responded with a slate of measures they would implement to avoid such situations.

When you find yourself at the centre of such a whirlwind, you cannot do much else.

You can read more about Kinderland’s initial response here.

Kinderland Now Barring Staff From Using Personal Devices During Work Hours

Now, if you were Kinderland, what else would you do?

Well, perhaps implement more extensive training programmes for your staff or, you know, fire the accused staff.

But guess what Kinderland is doing?

They’re barring staff from using their personal devices during work hours; only company-issued devices may be used to manage communications with parents on the preschool management app.

Sian. Cannot text friends at work. 

In a Facebook statement by Kinderland Singapore on Wednesday (30 August), the preschool shared that the rationale behind this was to protect children’s privacy.

Something, something, preventing the misuse of photos and videos of children, something, something.

 

It’s valid, but to most of us, it reads more like a measure to stop whistleblowing. Barring staff from using personal devices so that in the event the alleged child abuse incidents repeat themselves, at the very least, it won’t be taped and circulated on the internet.

For what it’s worth, I guess the PR team at Kinderland is much more qualified than the teaching staff.

Yet, Kinderland emphasises that the personal device ban is not to curb whistleblowing.

On Thursday (31 August), Kinderland shared with Channel News Asia that the preschool, aside from protecting children’s privacy, also hopes to reduce teaching staff’s use of personal devices for official purposes such as uploading information for parents.

“While at work, where work is work, if devices are needed, then it’s official devices that should be used and not personal ones,” the preschool added.

Yeah… And while at work, where work is work, you probably shouldn’t have a teacher force a child to lie down before pouring water into her mouth.

But, that’s just our two cents lah.

What do you think about Kinderland’s personal device ban?

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Chew Ming Hui
Email: [email protected]