The tragic accident of Bestlink College students on their way to an NSTP camping has caused a stir-up in the social media and is also a local topic in schools. The debate on whether schools should require/organize out of town field trips are again in question.

My mom has always been against field trips. So when I was in college I tried to avoid classes that would make field trip a requirement. Hello, in college how can you avoid that? I can only remember 3-5 trips. A hike to Taal Crater, a Binondo tour, a trip to BFAD in Taguig and a 2 day community immersion in Laguna. I guess what scares my mother is that when accident happens a large group will be involved. Knowing that most field trips utilizes bus to transport students from one place to another. What's more scary is if it's long distance and would require a travel in waters.

CHED and DepEd reminds schools that field trips are not mandatory. That means organizing such is just a discretion of schools. So would it still be wise for schools to organize theses kinds of events? Are we really risking lives of our children when we allow them to participate to these kinds of activity?

In conclusion, field trips are beneficial to students. It can be costly and requires some effort to make it possible. What we need is to make sure that the trips are well coordinated and all necessary safety protocols are observed. That will translate to choosing a reputable travel agency, renting out a well-conditioned mode of transportation, a trusted driver. In addition to that, we need prayers to cover the trip.

If you want to read about the CHED and DepEd guidelines about field trips, read here: