They can be mentors, advisers and confidants. Yet there are some who violate the trust between a student and a teacher. Jane Ng reports.

A teacher was recently in the news for allegedly touching his student.

Here are other recent cases:

Teacher accused of molestation charged in court
The Straits Times, August 4, 2006

A male teacher from a boys' school was accused of molesting several secondary school boys. Parents of the students made a police report and the teacher was suspended from duties during investigations.

In one of the earliest incidents, he allegedly pulled down a student's swimming trunks in a changing room. In another, a student who had stayed at his house claimed the teacher had placed a hand on his buttocks and crotch as he pretended to be asleep.

Primary school teacher accused of molestation
The Straits Times, June 13, 2006

A primary school teacher was charged with molesting a 14-year-old student and exposing himself to him two years ago. The 38-year-old man is said to have kissed and hugged the boy at the school premises in 2004. He was also accused of exposing himself and
masturbating in front of the boy at a flat.

Private religious teacher jailed for molesting student
The Straits Times, Aug 31, 2005

A private religious teacher who molested a student five times in 1999 was jailed for one year and four months. Alias Hashim, 58, admitted to molesting the woman on the pretext of offering blessings to her.

On one occasion, he kissed her while holding her face, telling her this is part of the blessing ritual. Another time, he locked her inside his bedroom after a class and ordered her to remove her bra, then molested her.

The woman eventually told the police after consulting her family.

Poly lecturer involved in Thai child-sex case
The Straits Times, April 28, 2005

A Singaporean lecturer from Temasek Polytechnic was arrested in Bangkok on Friday after he allegedly tried to buy sex with underage boys over the Internet.

Darwis Rianto Lim, 31, was caught at a Bangkok hotel by undercover police officers who posed as sex agents. The teacher allegedly posted notices on the Internet offering US$200 (S$315) for sex with a boy aged between 12 and 16.

On Monday, he was shown three boys at the hotel and allegedly picked a 16-year-old. The undercover officers arrested him when he paid them the money.

Teacher at centre for intellectually disabled sacked
The Straits Times, Feb 20, 2005

A centre for intellectually disabled students sacked a male teacher after he allegedly had inappropriate contact with two female students. The male teacher, in his late 20s, is believed to have several years' experience teaching the intellectually disabled and has been with the centre for about four years. It is believed that he touched their bra straps.