School dismisses coach who asked students to join his private academy

Services of table tennis coach terminated as he breached contract: Presbyterian High

- Gabrielle Chan

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 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 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 CCA coaches and instructors are expected to follow its expectations of instructors, which include "not soliciting for business from students and their parents".