Overseas Immersion Programmes

[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:

[LOLMum]

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.

teacher to student ratio should be 1 : 6 or 8.

kids should be given identical items for teachers to spot them easily in the crowds like a bright coloured cap (especially for small kids in crowded places, can see them easily).

kid should be given a whistle to wear around their neck.

for primary school kids (1st trip overseas with school), i myself might fly there to check on them secretly. but i wont break the rules set by the school like appearing at hotel and insist on taking him out for meals or disrupt the programmes etc.

[concern2]

Is it true that there are trips which allow only selected students to go? Is there any subsidies from MOE/schools for such trips or are they all borne by parents?

Where do travel agencies come in for such trips?

[LOLMum]

concern2:

Is it true that there are trips which allow only selected students to go? Is there any subsidies from MOE/schools for such trips or are they all borne by parents?

Where do travel agencies come in such trips?

in some primary schools, due to overwhelming response, students have to go for interview/selection process.

most of my friends paid for the whole trip but i think part of it could come from the edufund (shucks, cant remember the name of the govt fund). i believe some school so help those with $$$ problems.

travel agencies or agencies who specialised in these type of school trips would plan the activities, routes, accommodation, flight, etc. usually these organisers would have done the same trip with other schools so they are know the place, routes, policies of that country well.

for my dd's trip, a few staff were there to ensure that things were going smoothly thus letting the teachers have more time with the kids.