The Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) counselor who delivered a presentation containing discriminatory material has been suspended from all responsibilities awaiting the outcome of an inquiry by the school board.
In his presentation to the school's Secondary 4 cohort on July 13, the HCI employee discriminated against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals. The school has been on the lookout for children who may be affected.
Teachers have been vigilant in monitoring the well-being of their students, and students who have concerns or require assistance have been encouraged to approach school leaders or a trusted adult in school, according to a written response from Education Minister Chan Chun Sing to parliamentary questions on Tuesday (Aug 2).
The counselor had been suspended from teaching sexuality education classes following the event, with HCI claiming that the substance of the presentation was not approved by the school.
Hazel Poa, a non-constituency member of parliament, inquired about the counsellor's continued duties and whether precautions will be implemented to prevent a repetition of the situation.
Mr. Xie Yao Quan (Jurong GRC) inquired whether the Ministry of Education (MOE) is aware of any student requesting assistance and when it anticipates concluding its inquiry into the event.
According to photographs of the presentation that were circulated on social media, the presentation slides featured baseless statements such as how the majority of gays suffer from intestinal worms and how a large percentage of them are pedophiles.
In addition, the presentations linked homosexuality to issues such as alcoholism and sexual assault.
Mr. Chan stated that parents and kids have been assured that the counselor's opinions do not reflect those of HCI.
He continued, "The school has also emphasized the significance of respect and concern for all school community members."
He stated that the school is assessing its procedures to guarantee conformity with MOE's curriculum and standards.
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