Schools and classes cancel field trips

Hanoi Many schools and classes have canceled their graduation picnics after the Department of Education and Training requested restrictions on spontaneous organization of this activity.

On May 25, Ms. Phuong Loan, who lives in Cau Giay District, was informed by her child’s parent committee that their trip this weekend had been canceled. According to the plan, her 6th grade son and his friends would be taken on a two-day, one-night picnic at a resort in Vinh Phuc by the parent committee. The parents had already paid the money and the rooms had been booked.

In the announcement, the parent committee representative said that this was unintentional and the program would be held at a more suitable time. Instead, parents would organize a party for students in Hanoi from the picnic money they contributed, and any surplus would be returned.

Similarly, at nearly 11 p.m. on May 24, Ms. Nga, a parent of a 9th grade student at Marie Curie School, received an urgent notice from Principal Nguyen Xuan Khang about the cancellation of all extracurricular activities, experiences, and field trips by class, without going through the school and higher management levels.

Initially, Ms. Nga’s class planned to go to Ha Long for two days in mid-June, after the 10th grade entrance exam. This was to be the farewell party for the senior students. However, according to the school’s policy, this plan was canceled.

Principal Nguyen Xuan Khang said that after the end-of-school-year ceremony, many classes at all three levels of the school planned to go on field trips and tours. However, upon receiving a document from the Department of Education and Training regarding tightening extracurricular activities, he asked them all to stop.

Mr. Khang shared that the class was supposed to depart at 8am the next morning, and had prepared a budget of 120 million VND, half of which was used for charity and the rest for the trip.

"I suggest that class stop. If there is any financial loss due to the deposit to the service provider, the school will compensate," Mr. Khang informed.

Although the cancellation has not been officially announced, a 12th grade class at Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted has left the camping plan, scheduled for mid-June, open to "wait for further instructions". Many other schools and classes in Hanoi have also postponed or canceled their end-of-year field trips and experiences.

Mr. Huu Tuan, 29 years old, a tour guide, said that more than a dozen tours booked for Hanoi students in late May and early June through his company were all canceled . He was also affected by four tours on the weekend.

After eight years of doing tours for many schools in suburban districts of Hanoi, Mr. Tuan noticed that after the end of the school year and when the 10th grade entrance exams and high school graduation exams are over, this activity becomes more bustling.

According to a survey conducted by VnExpress , 80% of 1,600 respondents said their children's school or class organized a picnic at the end of the school year.

VnExpress survey results from May 24 to 10pm May 27. Screenshot

Principal Nguyen Xuan Khang commented that many classes are currently organizing end-of-year field trips spontaneously, especially in middle and high school. Parents often discuss with teachers, then inform the class, bypassing the school's approval process.

Mr. Tuan noticed that primary school classes tend to go to farms and resorts around Hanoi, while older classes often go to the beach or mountains. Some familiar destinations are Mai Chau (Hoa Binh), Moc Chau (Son La), Ha Long (Quang Ninh), Cat Ba (Hai Phong). The tours usually take place on weekends so that parents can join.

"These trips are mainly organized by the parents' committee. Homeroom teachers are often invited to go, but many refuse. The school often warns that it will not be responsible if any incidents occur," said Mr. Tuan.

Students at Millennium School, San Francisco, USA, on a field trip in 2018. Photo: Greatergood berkeley

Previously, on May 20, a sixth grade student and his parents in Hanoi died while on a field trip to Nam Dinh. The group of about 50 people, organized by the class, sent a parent as the group leader. The accident happened when the students were catching clams and mussels at the sandbank at the mouth of the Tra River, Xuan Thuy National Park. The sandbank collapsed, sweeping the student into the river. The parents went to save him but were also swept away. This is considered a rare incident, the first time it has happened at this location.

After the incident, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training requested schools to limit spontaneous activities and ensure safety and effectiveness when organizing extracurricular educational activities for students.

Mr. Tuan believes that schools and classes should book tours from travel companies with their own tour guides. This ensures a safer trip, because the company has experience in organizing and insuring tourists, the tour guides are familiar with the terrain, and regularly remind people of dangerous locations and actions to avoid during the trip.

"Organizing year-end outings between classes creates great bonds, helps students relieve stress after a stressful school year and gives them interesting memories. The important thing is how to organize it safely," said Mr. Tuan.

Thanh Hang - Duong Tam

Source link: https://vnexpress.net/truong-lop-dong-loat-huy-lich-da-ngoai-4610501.html