Compulsory Overseas Trip
-
mrswongtuition:
Augmum, although there's no 'opt out', you can choose not to sign the consent form but write a letter to inform them that you are not giving your consent and cite your reasons. We've encountered many such cases before. Don't worry that the school will 'force'. As long as you don't make payment or sign the form, they won't let the child go.
Why are there no \"opt-out\" in the first place? By not stating opt-out, many parents are taking in that is \"complusory\". Like what Augmum said, we are only suppose to be acknowledging it.
Write a letter and cite our reasons?
What are we suppose to say??- 'Oh, I'm just uncomfortable, fear for the safety of my child, don't think the school can take care of my child like I do...blah blah...blah...'
FYI - Why I say complusory??
Cos the school already stated that pupils are expected to be present at all student development programmes arranged for them. They MUST produce medical cert should they be unable to attend.
Base on the above, are we given a choice, other then medical reasons??
Sorry Mrs Wong, is not convenient for me to mention the school, I can only say that this oversea programme has to do with their cirriculum.
Bottomeline - I am really not for it that school making it complusory, and leaving the parents with no choice unless medical issue. By depriving our child from going, it may start a unnecessary strain relationship between parents & child. Like what julongmum said, being parent, the predicament on the decision whether 'to let go' our children away from us.
Sorry, I may sound abit hash on this thread, I just want to share my view and know how many parents are like me. -
I school may encourage all students to attend, but I don’t think they can make it compulsory.
-
nani:
I know - but this school apparently didn't manage to get the S$70 for the student to renew her passport.phankao:
I don't think an overseas trip can be made compulsory. Gee, what if your child does not have passport? Then compulsory, the child also cannot go. I know of someone who didn't have money even to pay for the passport for her child and the school actually didn't manage to get approval to pay for this \"petty\" expense and in the end anothe parent offered to pay for it! But yeah this is secondary and not primary school. So no, the school cannot force a child to go.
The school would have given you ample notice to apply/renew your passport. They even tell you to update the photograph if the one in the passport no longer resemble your child. Thus, there is no excuse that your child do not have a pp. Financial is not a issue, they do have many funds to help you apply if financial is a constrain. -
nani:
Financial is not a issue, they do have many funds to help you apply if financial is a constrain.
Sometimes it sound very nice that those need money can apply for this funds & that funds. The rich certainly cannot understand this.
I know of a poor family who can hardly makes end meet because he has 6 children, he did apply for this fund & that funds, get MP to help write letter ... but at the end also cannot get. Sometimes it takes a poor to really understand a poor ....
Cheers -
VitoRelax:
You mean you poor meh???Sometimes it takes a poor to really understand a poor ....
Cheers
-
ks2me:
Apek like me not only poor but VERY POOR !!
You mean you poor meh???VitoRelax:
Sometimes it takes a poor to really understand a poor ....
Cheers
\"Thong kor bo lang chai\" -
Nani, I am with you on this too. Honestly I feel that such trips are really unnecessary especially at a young age(primary school). With all the duress that everyone is going through, I wonder how much benefits one can get from it. I heard a few cases where kids went and finally a few days when the novelty wore off, they called back crying on the phone. At that point, the parents felt so helpless, so was it necessary to stress everyone from principal to the children's family? My take is \"no\" too.
There will be a time they will fly out of the nest when they are ready, no need to force it across the board as everyone has different maturity levels, just like losing the milk teeth...when it happens, it happens, nothing can stop it.
Also, these days, children travel widely with parents, why replicate the effort and create more stress?
If parents can lose 2-3 children in Disneylands, all the easier for teachers to do so with so many more kids and for the teachers to be worrying throughout the trip, they also cannot be effective in delivering the learning process.
If you ask me, this is more like a MOE perk for teachers as employees to go on overseas incentive trip(like what MNCs would do) aligning with \"teach less, learn more\" concept.
Personally I would prefer the teachers to go on their own incentive trips if that is MOE's intent for some training. :idea: Then for any projects that require overseas venture to provide the links of required network for the children to go with their parent(1 or 2) to explore. It should also be made an option as to whether people want to have a personal experience overseas to complete the project or rely on the internet research materials to do so. This, to me, is a better idea. For parents who have less time to bond with the kids, \"forcing\" them to think of a trip with the child helps to strengthen family ties if they wish to do so. Then companies should be made to APPROVE such leave without questions asked as part of family welfare as long as school signs off the trip. If MOE can go one further step to subsidize one parent, it would be good. Afterall, I heard some schools now introduce this \"father bonding\" programme where only fathers are encouraged to do certain activity together with the child. So a family can decide if they want to \"kill 2 birds with one stone\", do a project with overseas trip and also respond to this 'father bonding' programme concurrently where they can submit a brief trip journal/scrapbook page meaningful for the school and for the family, especially for the father.
Aiya....this is just another of my wild dream la...thanks for listening to my ranting... :lol: -
VitoRelax:
I only know your \"thong kor\" is driving around bukit timah a few mornings trying to find the best time and route to your kid's new school... but this kind of \"thong kor\" is only richer people can experience leh....Apek like me not only poor but VERY POOR !!
\"Thong kor bo lang chai\"
-
There will be a China trip in sec-3, global classroom trip in sec-4 for NYGH. just for info.
-
My son just left yesterday on his overseas school trip. It is third trip overseas. His first trip was to China when he was in primary four. I remember I could not sleep well throughout that trip when he was away.
Over time, I’ve learnt to let go and have faith that the teachers will take care of the students and the children must also learn to take care of themselves.
Don’t forget that in a few years’ time, our boys will have to go for National Service and may need to travel overseas for training. And that is, definitely compulsory.
It’s good to train our children (especially sons) to be independent and to be exposed to difficult culture and living environment. Our future generation is going to grow up in a global world and need to be global citizens. In fact, we are living in one now. My siblings and sibling-in-laws travel very frequently for work and business.
They need to be prepared for that kind of challenge ahead.
As a parent, especially a mum, it is definitely not easy - but we have to
prepare them ahead. It will be worse if your child still needs your attention in his twenties. This is what happened to my friend’s son who has to pursue a degree overseas (a specialised degree) out of no choice and he requested his mum (a SAHM) to go and stay with him there. My friend went with him to help him settle down and visited him rather regulary over the last year he was there. And mind you, the air tickets are not cheap.
Being the only child, he must have led a sheltered and protected life and that’s why he can’t let go of his insecurities even in his twenties. He needs the mother around. My friend made a wise decision not to move over to stay with him - afterall, she still has to see to her husband’s needs.
She is hoping that he will ‘grow up’ soon.
Hello! It looks like you're interested in this conversation, but you don't have an account yet.
Getting fed up of having to scroll through the same posts each visit? When you register for an account, you'll always come back to exactly where you were before, and choose to be notified of new replies (either via email, or push notification). You'll also be able to save bookmarks and upvote posts to show your appreciation to other community members.
With your input, this post could be even better 💗
Register Login