Ex-head of department who siphoned almost $40,000 jailed 1.5 years SINGAPORE — A senior teacher who was convicted after trial of misappropriating student funds over two years was sentenced to one-and-a-half years' jail on Friday (5 March). Maslinda Zainal, 46, who had been suspended as HOD for English Language and Literature at Woodgrove Secondary School, oversaw the collection of student monies by the teachers in the English department for learning materials. Her role in this area was to coordinate with the bookshop that printed learning materials for students. However, she siphoned the money meant for the printing of the material in 2016 and 2017. She claimed trial to both charges of criminal breach of trust as a servant but was convicted.