S’pore needs criminal history checks for those working with kids
Singapore is facing calls to close a regulatory gap that allows individuals without criminal history checks to work in the informal education sector. Recent convictions of former teachers for sexual offenses against minors have highlighted the vulnerability of children in private tutoring and coaching environments.
Why it matters
Addressing this loophole is essential for child safety and ensuring that individuals with criminal records cannot easily access vulnerable populations.
Freelance tutors, volunteers, coaches and private teachers in centres with fewer than 10 students operate outside the strict registration requirements mandated by the Education Act.
Listen SINGAPORE – The education sector is highly regulated but there is vulnerability in the informal education market, where criminal history checks are not mandatory.
This is unlike public and large private institutions, which have to receive official Ministry of Education (MOE) registration for staff members, a process which includes criminal history checks.
The regulatory gap means former teachers who have been convicted of sex offences related to young people and other criminal offences where children have been harmed can, after they have served their sentence, pivot to home-tutoring.
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