Presbyterian High School dismisses table tennis coach
A table tennis coach has been dismissed by Presbyterian High School (PHS) after it found that he had asked students under his charge to join his private sports academy.
The school conducted investigations after it received feedback about the coach, said principal Angeline Chan in response to queries from The Straits Times. Neither the Ministry of Education (MOE) nor the school confirmed the coach’s name.
As the coach’s action was a breach of his contract, the school had terminated his services immediately, said Mrs Chan.
“We have also engaged students in the table tennis CCA (co-curricular activity) and assured them that they would continue to receive support in their development and well-being,” she added.
In October, ST received an e-mail from a reader claiming to be a parent of a student at PHS, alleging that the coach had been inviting players to “privately train in his academy”.
In an e-mail exchange seen by ST, the school had told the reader, who declined to be named, that it is “thoroughly investigating the matter”, and “does not condone coaches engaging students for their own private coaching academies, as this could lead to conflicts of interests”.
ST has contacted the coach for comment.
In response to queries, MOE said that CCA coaches and instructors are expected to follow its expectations of instructors, which includes “not soliciting for business from students and their parents”.
“They are also expected to manage the treatment of their CCA students in a fair and unbiased manner.”
Other expectations include being responsible and respectful in their interactions with students, ensuring their physical and emotional well-being, and practising good sportsmanship.
This case comes after a recent allegation in July that a basketball coach had accepted improper payments to secure places for pupils in secondary schools via Direct School Admission (DSA). The coach had allegedly helped these pupils to get into schools like Anglo-Chinese Junior College and Dunman High School for a fee of at least $45,000.
The DSA scheme grants Primary 6 pupils the chance to secure spots early in secondary schools using non-academic talents, such as in sports and the arts. Over the years, it has drawn criticism that it advantages wealthier families who can afford private coaching and preparatory classes.
MOE, which is reviewing the scheme, had taken steps to expand DSA opportunities to more schools, to allow more students from all family backgrounds to benefit. Other changes include refining the selection criteria and simplifying the application process.
Following the July incident, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said that schools have been reminded to ensure their DSA processes follow guidelines set by MOE, which include involving the school leadership team in final decisions.
Schools must also inform coaches and instructors that if they market their services by implying that they can influence DSA outcomes, they may be de-registered from MOE.
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