In
elementary and high school, this will not be necessary although travelling can
add to children’s experience. During the school year several conventions,
competitions and other activities (Quiz
Bees, Investigatory Projects, Schools Press Conferences, Beauty Pageants,
Talent Tilts – oration, declamation, sports activities and even
scouting/campings/jamborees) that can cater to that experience. After competing
inside the school for Quiz, Pageants or Sports chances are there will be
inter-school competitions in the sub-district/district, division, regional or
even national level that might bring
students to far places literally.
There
is no really bad thing about having educational tours – granted that it is ‘educational’
in the real sense. I heard of Baguio or Tagaytay tour – tsk is it not
just an excursion for the good weather in the areas? Or MOA (Mall of Asia
Arena) – if the purpose is camaraderie and team building then travelling will
take hundreds or thousands of kilometers away for a pricey ticket, it is not so
practical and truly irrelevant.
Usually
educational tours are sometimes boring destinations – the Planetarium, museums,
zoo, aquariums, historical places if it is not; it is probably not one BUT an excursion (say a beach, mall or simply
beautiful place without educational significance) or stroll. This is happening, I
have my husband’s niece who went in a tour from a school in Bicol to Tagaytay paying more than five thousand pesos (if I am not
mistaken) and was obliged to join the expensive trip because of the ‘incomplete’ grade she might get. The fees are maybe reasonable because of the
bus rental and food BUT the trip?! Just a cold experience nothing related to
any subject, maybe ‘sociability’, for that reason it can be cheaper and may be
nearer.
Can
we not just leave the excursions to families of each student and concentrate on
the real sense of educational tour.
Why the schools had been MAYBE obliging whenever they held a ‘Tour’? Because the fuller the bus, the lesser will be the
transportation expense of each joiner (dividing the bus charge to the number of
attendees). Admit it or not, MOST maybe NOT all tours free the school staff who
will join as guardians or the advisers.
Several
accidents happened on such tours like:
1.
drowned students
2.
hit by the maneuvering bus while taking photos
3.
latest, bus that loose breaks on the way to a camp site
Suggestions:
I
hope the Congress can make policies:
