Parents lament Roco’s ban on school field trips

"Learning should never have limits." This was the clamor of concerned parents of public school students and representatives of institutions such as the National Museum, Museo Pambata, Fort Santiago Shrine, after Education Secretary Raul Roco’s suggestion curtailing field trips in public schools nationwide.

Roco, in a memorandum addressed to DECS District Supervisors and Superintendents, urged all public school officials to avoid any form of educational trip as they add more financial burden to families of children in public schools.

With the memo, DECS Superintendents classified as unauthorized any form of field trips, film showing, computer related projects, and other out of school programs.

However, parents in various PTA meetings in Metro Manila, voiced their disagreement with Roco. For one, the trips were scheduled at the start of the school year and are being anticipated by the students; secondly, parents, and the more vocal teachers, feel that Roco’s provision is discriminating.

According to Leonor Magtibay, a fish vendor and a resident of 2524 Villanueva St., Barangay 89 of Pasay City, whose child goes to the Jose Rizal Elementary School on Park Avenue, "Does the memo of Roco mean that I have to send my children to private schools for them to experience a field trip? Wouldn’t that be more expensive for me?"

Magtibay added that she herself went to a public school and remembers that field trips or any kind of out of school activity were highly anticipated and unique learning experiences. The parents complained to public school principals and district supervisors that many of them are willing to pay for extra fees just so their children can attend and learn from worthwhile activities.