Tutor allegedly beat pupil from China with clothes hanger, metal rod
The parents of a nine-year-old girl from China who came to Singapore to study have alleged that her tuition teacher physically abused her during revision for her upcoming exams.
They claimed that the tutor, a 60-year-old woman, slapped and pinched their daughter, and even hit her with a clothes hanger and a metal rod.
The mother, Ms Zhou Min, told Shin Min Daily News that she came to Singapore with her husband earlier this year. Their daughter joined them later with the intention of studying at a primary school here.
They wanted to prepare for her placement exams so they registered her for English and Mathematics classes with a home-based tutor that their friend had recommended. The three-hour lessons were held five times a week at the tutor’s condominium in Ang Mo Kio.
About a month later on Nov 3, Ms Zhou noticed bruises on her daughter’s body after the nine-year-old had finished her shower.
When she questioned her daughter about them, the girl told Ms Zhou the bruises were the result of “punishment” that her teacher had inflicted on her for her “weak” vocabulary.
The nine-year-old added that the tutor would slap her and pinch her arms, chest and legs. She claimed she was even hit on the back with a clothes hanger.
The girl said: “There was one time where the teacher used a metal rod that was over 1m long to hit my face. My teeth hurt after that.”
The parents told the Chinese daily that they were initially aware that the tutor had a tendency to mete out physical punishments, but did not realise how bad it was until that day.
Ms Zhou said she decided to make a police report and sent her daughter for a medical check-up.
She also put an end to the tuition classes the day after she discovered the bruises.
The police have confirmed that they have received a report about the case and are investigating.
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