Overseas Immersion Programmes

[concern2]

Hi, I would like to find out more about the overseas immersion programs that primary schools are organizing for the students. Can parents share your experience/ your child’s experience?


And is it compulsory for students to join?

[LOLMum]

a bit long but till now, i am still a bit :rant:


my dd first local overseas immersion programs trip with her school was last year, to china.

at the briefing, the school and the outsourced organiser gave a detailed itinerary/info to all parents who have signed their kids up for this. i can understand the part about safety cos' you were talking about 1 teacher to maybe 10 or more girls and one event needed the girls to get from one place to another (short distance taking the subway from one stop to another) on their own (to train the girls to read directions/maps). the organiser were also getting their own people to watch the girls secretly to check on them.

but concerns like \"what if they dont have enough to eat, hungry at night how?\", \"miss the parents and cry at night how?\", \"can send update hourly to parents?\", \"kid doesnt like the food how? etc that surprised me and also the parents wanted 100% assurance that that nothing would happen to their kid.

in the end, some activities were either cancelled or watered down (so diluted) that though it was still fun, it was not worth the $$$ spent.

why cancelled or watered down, because parents kept calling the teachers to object to one or two of the activities and the no. of smses the kids received on the cellphone throughout the day about safety etc(kids were allowed to use them only at night). we even had parents who pretended to be on the same flight (both ways) and staying in the same hotel and conveniently appeared at the same places the kids visited.

there were also relatives (in shanghai) who came to the hotel and insisted on seeing their niece and taking them out for dinner..........creating more problems for the teacher because one teacher needed to go along. which meant 10 or more girls were without a teacher in charge resulting in 1 teacher looking after more girls. :mad:

and know what, we are not talking about primary school kids. these were secondary school kids and 99% have been on overseas trips with their parents since young.

i am very tempted not to send dd on her trip this year but she is still keen on it.

just ranting.


i know mine is not compulsory. for those who have financial difficulties, school can help.

[jtoh]

LOLMum, your experience was for a secondary school? Oh dear! There are some rather kiasu parents who can’t let go. Such a pity.


The school should have handled the situation with a firmer hand.

[lim72]

Hi LOLMum


Thanks for sharing. I had a good laugh and especially when you mentioned they are secondary school’s students. When I was reading your post, I thought you are talking about primary school kids. Now I know how you feel.

I think for myself, abduction & safety are the greatest nightmare, whereas food safety & health are the next concern.

I already told my p4 ds that I will not allow him to go to especially China with the school.

[MMM]

My P5 went to Nanjing with the school last year. The trip was around 7-8 days.


They stayed at one of the local primary schools. Went to class in the primary school, did various activities such as kong ming lantern, making dumplings, brewing tea, some fishing, visited local places of interest, some shopping, etc…

The teacher did update on the internet everynight with write up of what the kids did during the day as well as pictures. So we were very assured that they are well taken care of.

It was overall a good experience.

My P4 ds is going to Beijing this June hols with a wushu focus as the nanjing trip is oversubscribed. Heard they will be learning wushu in morning and followed by sight seeing to forbidden city, tiananmen, great wall of china, etc… so sounds like a lot of fun.

Having spent time without parents in a foreign place will let them gain exposure and grow up. If you are picky about food, then you probably have to go hungry. Not forgetting social skills and living with your friends, etc…

[pinky]

in this case, the parents are the ones who 'spoil' the program, asking the

school to guarantee 100% safety for their kids is just too much :slapshead:

[MMM]

lim72:

Hi LOLMum


Thanks for sharing. I had a good laugh and especially when you mentioned they are secondary school's students. When I was reading your post, I thought you are talking about primary school kids. Now I know how you feel.

I think for myself, abduction & safety are the greatest nightmare, whereas food safety & health are the next concern.

I already told my p4 ds that I will not allow him to go to especially China with the school.

Frankly the recent AMK hub news and also statistics on abduction in China left me alittle jittery about my P4 ds's trip to Beijing this june.

[LOLMum]

yes, i am surprised too. it wasnt as if this was the first overseas trip organised by the school. its primary section has been to other countries too. and many of the sec students were from the primary school.


school already said please dont get relatives or friends to visit kid at hotel, but was ignored.

you dont need many parents to ignore the rules,. just 1 parent who threatened this and that is enough to kill the whole trip.

i honestly dont know why parents who act in this manner want to send their kids on such trips.

i was very happy to see some activies planned for the kids which i think was very good exposure and training for them. but these were either cancelled or not hastily done.

[jtoh]

That’s really sad, LOLMum. I wonder why these parents bother to send their kids off on these trips too if they’re not going to go with the itinerary. And the school is so accomodating as well. And I don’t understand why these parents have to tag along and miraculously appear on the same flights and hotels and restaurants. I wonder if these parents will tag along during their kids’ Outward Bound camps.

[pinky]

jtoh:

That's really sad, LOLMum. I wonder why these parents bother to send their kids off on these trips too if they're not going to go with the itinerary. And the school is so accomodating as well. And I don't understand why these parents have to tag along and miraculously appear on the same flights and hotels and restaurants. I wonder if these parents will tag along during their kids' Outward Bound camps.

or when their sons go for NS, dads train alongside them during BMT and
mums clean up their bunk/do laundry for them??? :evil: