DepEd: Educational field trips are not mandatory

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday called on schools to verify the roadworthiness of vehicles used in fields trips, which it said should not be made mandatory for students.

The DepEd issued the reminder following the accident in Tanay, Rizal, that left over a dozen college students dead and many more injured.

In a statement, the DepEd said schools should "verify the proper registration and road-worthiness of the buses or vehicles to be used, and ensure that the drivers have the appropriate know-how and frame of mind when on the road."

It also reminded parents and school officials that educational field trips are not mandatory.

DepEd Order (DO) No. 52, series of 2003, policy on educational field trips states that "no punitive measures or activities related to the trip, that will put the students who could not join the field trip at a disadvantage."  

"They should be given activities in school to compensate for their inability to join the field trip," it added.

Under the same order it said that, "no field trip should be undertaken without the written consent of the parents, or student's guardians."

DepEd also mandated that such educational trips as well as safety measure guidelines must be planned ahead of time.

The order added that places to visit must be educational and trips to malls and attendance at noon-time television shows are discouraged.

It also stated that such trips "should not put an additional financial burden on the parents."

Meanwhile, Commission on Higher Education has imposed on Tuesday a moratorium on all field trips and educational tours in all public and private colleges and universities following the incident in Tanay where a tour bus carrying students slammed into a post after its brakes malfunctioned.

It also ordered universities and colleges to develop alternate options in exchange of such activities. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/KBK, GMA News