BANGALORE: “I was shocked when I heard about the incident. Schools have to take responsibility, especially on trips that have water-bound areas. Parents of students in my school are now apprehensive to send kids on school trips. It is our responsibility to take extra care of children. Bus/van drivers, employed directly by the school, are briefed before the journey. We also have life rescuers on stand-by in case of an emergency. Only students who can swim should be allowed on trips. Although we make parents sign a form that nullifies our responsibility, at the end of the day schools are to be held morally responsible,” said Usha Mohan, principal, India International School.“I am not sure if I am comfortable in sending my daughter on a school trip. The recent incident is very unsettling for me as a parent. If my daughter goes on a school trip, I am always worried about the ratio. Teachers are outnumbered by the kids. So what if my child is left unattended?” questioned Prahalad Patel, father of a nine-year-old girl.“I think students have to be careful and should stay in their limits. School trips are good, as we get a break from schooling and also spend time with friends. This, however, does not mean that we can do whatever we want. The responsibility lies with both the school and students. The school has to set limits for students on trips,” said Varsha Achar, a 10th standard student.“Schools are responsible to some extent. There has to be a proper counselling session for students before embarking on a school trip. They have to be told about the destination and about the safety precautions to be taken. Arrangements to provide immediate help have to be made. The best thing to do would be to form small groups of students with team leaders for each group. Also, the teacher-student ratio has to be very good, preferably 5:1. Parents are inquisitive about how many teachers would accompany the students, and whether a doctor would be available. Parents are concerned, but teachers are worried more,” said Dakshini Khanna, principal, Harvest International School.“Children are children. It is the school which should be responsible. In case of my son, I have never had a chance to worry, as his school takes ample care of him. The school is well-staffed and there is enough vigilance during trips. He has been on 7 trips so far, and I have had no issues,” said Beena, mother of a 10-year-old boy.
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