Schools to strengthen anti-bullying efforts with stricter disciplinary measures and reporting platform: MOE

Measures to address bullying and hurtful behaviour in schools will be strengthened, including improvements to reporting channels and disciplinary processes, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Wednesday (April 15). 

Speaking to the media at Teck Ghee Primary School on Wednesday, Education Minister Desmond Lee said that an updated and comprehensive review on anti-bullying measures has been conducted following engagements with parents and students.

The measures are being implemented progressively.

The review was done with the support of Community and Parents in support of Schools. 

MOE engaged more than 2,000 educators, parents, students, professional and members of the public since August 2025 for the review.

"We have completed the review and have been in the process of implementing some of the nine measures that were recommended by the review — covering four broad areas," said Lee.

These areas include enhancing values education, strengthening school culture and processes, increasing school and staff capacity, and strengthening school-home-community partnerships.

The minister added that reporting structures in schools will also be strengthened, including an online platform set to be launched in 2027. 

It will allow students and members of the public to report hurtful behaviour and bullying, providing an additional avenue for children to seek help.

Lee also shared that more resources, including social workers and support from social service agencies, will be provided to schools to assist teachers in managing such incidents. 

Additionally, schools will also be provided with needs-based funding to procure manpower support to assist with parent engagement and liaison. 

The media was also given a tour around the school to observe how some Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) classes are conducted. 

Enhancements to the CCE framework and school-based programmes aim to strengthen students' social-emotional learning, empathy, communication, and interpersonal skills, the ministry said.

Principal of Teck Ghee Primary School Rezia Rahumathullah highlighted the importance of building strong relationships among students and supporting their development.

"When it comes to consequences, all schools will have their necessary processes in place. It is matter of ensuring that the processes would involve parents right from the start," she said. 

"We take any incident in the school be it small or a serious one very important that we want to ensure that the child be it the victim or bully be reintegrated back to the class."

@asiaone Following the completion of the comprehensive action review against bullying, Education Minister Desmond Lee on Wednesday (April 15) announced that the Ministry of Education will implement nine recommendations across four key areas, as part of anti-bullying measures. #sgnews #Singapore #Education #Schools #Students #Bullying ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

First time offenders may face canning, suspension

Under the stricter measures, 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.

Speaking to AsiaOne on Wednesday, Audrey Ng, a Primary 6 pupil at Rosyth school, shared her views on stricter punishments and the effectiveness of CCE. 

Said the 12-year-old: "Instead of just having stricter consequences, I think we can get the bully to reflect why he or she did the action he or she did.

"I am not implying that the bully should be let off easily but maybe it is not entirely their fault but an issue in their lives that impacts the way they do or see things." 

On CCE classes, Audrey said: "CCE classes inspire students in my class to feel confident of themselves, learn our character strengths, how to build good habits and break bad habits. (It) helps every student become a better version of themselves."

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