SINGAPORE: Earlier reports revealed that a bullying incident occurred at a primary school in northern Singapore, where an 11-year-old boy alleged that he was pushed, punched, and kicked by a fellow Primary 5 student. The incident, which allegedly occurred on 8 October, left the victim with injuries that required hospital treatment. The boy’s mother, Ms Chen, has since demanded an apology from the student and his parents, along with compensation for medical expenses. She expressed hope that this incident will lead to changes fostering a safer school environment. While the media did not disclose the school’s name, a Facebook post by Jonden Chan, a netizen who is reportedly related to the victim, identified Ahmad Ibrahim Primary School as the location of the alleged assault. School affirms commitment to anti-bullying measures According to 8World News, the school responded by confirming its firm stance against bullying, stating that disciplinary action had been taken and counselling provided to the student involved in the incident. The school added that appropriate measures were implemented to help the student learn from the episode. Additionally, the school assured it is in regular contact with Ms Chen and has taken steps to ensure her son’s continued safety on campus. Mother seeks accountability Ms Chen recounted that the incident began on 8 October in the school canteen during an oral examination. Her son reportedly slipped after touching a newly painted wall and shared the experience with his classmates. Moments later, another student, reportedly older and physically larger, approached him and demanded details about the incident. When the victim did not respond, he was verbally insulted before being pushed to the ground and assaulted. Teachers intervened after the report was made and administered first aid before moving him to the school office for further care. The mother, Ms Chen, 46, described her distress when she noticed swelling on her son’s head that evening, coupled with dizziness and nausea. She immediately took him to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a minor concussion. The mother also reported the case to the police, which was later confirmed by authorities. Ms Chen told 8world News that, although her son’s alleged attacker is also in Primary 5, as a foreign student, he is one to two years older than his classmates and is noticeably taller.   Victim’s relative voices concern over limited school communication and lack of direct apology from assailant’s parents In a statement on Facebook, the victim’s relative, Jonden Chan, claimed his nephew had been punched and even kicked in the stomach. He criticised the school’s limited communication on the issue, noting that while the student’s parents had apologised to the school, they had yet to reach out to Ms Chen directly. Despite ongoing discussions with the school and appeals to her local Member of Parliament, Ms Chen said that a resolution has not yet been achieved. She added that the assailant’s parents have not apologised to her directly nor offered to cover her son’s medical expenses. Latest incident highlights ongoing concerns over school bullying trends In September, a video of a Bukit View Secondary School student being taunted and kicked circulated online, leading to police involvement. A week later, footage emerged of a Qihua Primary School pupil being attacked by an older boy, resulting in the arrest of five teenagers. More recently, in October, a Meridian Secondary School student reportedly suffered a ruptured eardrum after an attack by schoolmates. Education Minister: Bullying incidents steady over 5 years According to the Ministry of Education (MOE), the number of reported bullying incidents in Singapore has remained “steady” over the past five years. On average, there are two incidents per 1,000 primary school students and six incidents per 1,000 secondary school students annually. These figures encompass all forms of bullying, both on school premises and offsite. In Parliament, Minister Chan Chun Sing responded to concerns regarding the adequacy of bullying reporting channels. He emphasised the importance of empowering students to report troubling incidents and assured that systems are in place to facilitate communication between affected students and adults. “We want to give people and students the confidence that if you are in doubt, where you feel troubled, you should be able to use the existing channels to report it to the adults and then have the adults work with the students to see how they can mend the relationships and move the relationships forward,” Minister Chan said.

As Imane Khelif faces renewed scrutiny over her gender identity, we examine why she was permitted to compete at the Paris Olympics and the International Olympic Committee’s position on the issue. The latest gender controversy surrounding Imane Khelif erupted after a leaked medical report. Image: Reuters Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, whose gender identity was questioned as she won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics 2024, is once again facing scrutiny after a leaked medical report alleged that the 25-year-old has internal testicles and an XY chromosome makeup which means she is not eligible to take part in female competitions. Khelif was first embroiled in a controversy after she defeated Italy’s Angela Carini in just 46 seconds during the round of 16 welterweight bout in the Paris Olympics 2024. Khelif’s blistering win led to allegations that she was a man competing in female competitions. The basis of those allegations was her suspension by the International Boxing Association (IBA) in 2023 after she allegedly failed a chromosome test.       Despite this Khelif was allowed to participate in the Paris Olympics 2024 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as she went on to win the gold by beating Yang Liu in the 66kg final. Why was Imane Khelif suspended by IBA in 2023? IBA suspended Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting during the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships New Delhi 2023 after they allegedly failed a gender eligibility test. “Point to note, the athletes did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subject to a separate and recognized test, whereby the specifics remain confidential. This test conclusively indicated that both athletes did not meet the required necessary eligibility criteria and were found to have competitive advantages over other female competitors,” IBA said in a press release. Why IOC allow Imane Khelif to take part in the Paris Olympics 2024? The IBA was suspended by the IOC in 2023 on charges of corruption and governance issues. The global Olympics body also allowed Khelif and Yu-ting to participate in the Paris 2024. Both Khelif and Yu-ting were born a cis woman and assigned the female gender on their passports, which is the criteria IOC uses to determine the eligibility of an athlete to take part in female events. Also Read |  Imane Khelif welcomed with huge crowds back home after winning gold in Paris Olympics What is IOC’s stand on Imane Khelif’s failing gender eligibility tests conducted by the IBA? The IOC has already said that the gender eligibility tests conducted by the IBA on Khelif and Yu-ting were illegitimate and lacked credibility. IOC said that the tests were arbitrary as they were conducted towards the end of the competition in 2023 when both boxers had already fought multiple bouts. “Those tests are not legitimate tests. The tests themselves, the process of the tests, the ad hoc nature of the tests are not legitimate,” IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said earlier this year. “The testing, the method of the testing, the idea of the testing which happened kind of overnight. None of it is legitimate and this does not deserve any response,” Adams added.   What does the leaked medical report say about Imane Khelif? The leaked medical report, which was reportedly accessed by French journalist Djaffar Ait Aoudia, says that Khelif suffers from 5-alpha reductase deficiency, a sexual development disorder found in genetic males. The MRI which is part of the medical report says that Khelif lacks a uterus, has internal testes, and a “micropenis” resembling an enlarged clitoris. It further states that the chromosome tests confirmed an XY karyotype and a hormone analysis indicated testosterone levels within the typical male range. The authenticity of the medical report has still not been verified.

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