Bucao asks CHED for guidelines for field trips

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Vice Mayor Alan Bucao has asked the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to formulate strict policies and guidelines for the conduct of field trips to prevent more accidents and deaths from occurring in the future.

In an approved resolution, Bucao said that with the recent field trip accidents, he is concerned about the safety and security of all the students. 

“All schools must develop specific policies and proper guidelines that would control risk and ensure that activities are conducted in a manner that does not impose unreasonable risk for loss or injury,” Bucao said. 

According to a CHED memorandum, new policies for out-of-school activities defines educational tours as “extended educational activities involving the travel of students and supervising faculty outside the school campus,” usually lasting for more than a day.

Field trips, on the other hand, usually last for only a day or less.

The memorandum said the destination for trips or tours should be near the higher education institution (HEI).

The CHED memorandum requires schools to conduct prior consultations with students when field trips and tours require additional cost.

It compels schools to give “parallel school activities which provide similar acquisition of knowledge” for students who cannot join educational tours or field trips.

This means that joining an educational tour or a field trip is voluntary on the part of students. 

The CHED requires schools to submit information on the nature of educational tours and field trips they intend to conduct at least a month before the opening of the school year. – (FREEMAN)