SINGAPORE — A former principal of a student care centre was charged on Thursday (Jan 2) with cheating about S$7,000 by forging subsidy applications made under the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s Student Care Fee Assistance scheme.

Under the scheme, eligible households receive monthly subsidies for their child’s student care fees. They can also receive a one-off grant of up to S$400 for each child, to subsidise the initial cost of student care enrolment. 

Shaik Ismail Mohd Ali, the former principal of Impresario Learning Lab, allegedly forged student care subsidy renewal forms for a student who had already stopped attending the care centre, a police statement said.

The 49-year-old is also accused of forging various documents that gave false information on the employment status of the parents of two students.

The offences took place between 2014 and 2016 and resulted in wrongful subsidy payouts of about S$7,000 by the ministry. 

Besides these, Shaik faces other charges of criminal intimidation, being armed with a black metal pole without a lawful purpose and perverting the course of justice by instigating a witness to give false information to the police.

Impresario Learning Lab has had its status as an administrator of the Student Care Fee Assistance scheme revoked since Sept 20, 2016, the police said. The centre has stopped its operations.