It is very common to organize educational tours amidst the course of study considering the educational significance and purpose as it breaks the monotony of learning and refresh the students to indulge in their curricular activities with new vigor to trigger their knowledge. Its impact on learning experiences is so good that it has become a need and a part of the course. The certain things to be remembered while organizing study tours have been given in detail through different circulars by the General Education Department and Directorate of Higher Secondary Education.
Study Tour Planning and Schedule
In higher secondary schools study tours should be conducted in the month of October, November or December. It should be planned in such period that it should not affect the exams, fairs and working days.
How to Organize School Study Tours
The place selected for study tour, stay, travelling days and programme etc should be decided after a discussion with the PTA executive committee. Also the minutes of the PTA executive committee meeting regarding the study tour should be kept safely. Study tours can not be allowed without the consent of the PTA.
To get Permission for Study Tour
Even though, the PTA executive committee gives consent to organize the same, the relevant documents should be submitted to the Regional Deputy Director(RDD) seeking permission for the tour in the higher secondary level. Given below are the documents to be produced with regard to this
1.Copy of the PTA minutes / report
2.Itinerary of the journey specifying the time of arrival, stay and departure of all days
3.Undertaking of the Principal stating that tour is being conducted meeting all the requirements specified in the circulars.
4.The list of students.
5.Name and contact number of escorting teachers.
It should be done before the schedule of the tour to obtain permission from the RDD.
Teacher Representatives
The presence of a teacher is must in the ratio of 1:15, and it should be a male teacher for boys and female teacher for girls. There should be a change in the accompanying teachers. The inclusion of family members of principal or teachers for the trip, must be avoided. Whereas the the PTA representatives can take part if they are willing. The principal or the tour convener ought to submit the report of the tour conducted, to the RDD within a week after the trip. The feed back / opinion of the teachers and students be included in it. It should be ensured that there has been decent behavior from teachers and students as well.
Instructions to Students
The consent letter from the parents of students who are willing to participate in the study tour must be collected. The itinerary, accompanying teachers’ mobile number etc be given to the parents. Likewise, the parents are also required to give their contact number to the tour convenor. Students must not be allowed to use mobiles during such trips. They should be enforced to refrain from vulgar/ indecent way of dressing, talking and unnecessary photo clicks. If the students don’t conduce to make a good and comfortable journey, the school authorities can take action against them like issuing T.C etc.
Instruction to Schools
The teachers accompanying the students in the trip should keep a copy of the list of study tour participants. For the safe and smooth journey, food and stay facilities, sight seeing spots etc should be planned and booked early. First aid and other necessary medicines be ready with them. The health condition of students have to be confirmed whether he / she is fit for the journey. Only healthy food and drinks are preferred. Travel between 9p.m to 6 a.m should be avoided. The tours be affordable to even the economically backward students. The details of travel expenses should be made known to the tour participants and the teachers and their consent is also needed. After the trip, safe reaching of the students to their home should be confirmed.
Number of Tours Allowed in an Academic Year
In the case of higher secondary schools with more batches or students, the tours can be arranged either batch wise or class wise. It is the responsibility of the principal of the institution and the PTA to plan and arrange it accordingly. Consent of the RDD is a must.
For field trips related to CE activities, the principal can grant permission. An undertaking from the teacher concerned has to be given. Such field trips arranged as part of curricular activities would be a short trip, setting out in the morning and getting back in the evening of the day itself. It would be a mere field trip.
Orders, circulars in connection with school study tours published at different times by the General Education Department and the Directorate of Higher Secondary Education, can be downloaded from the link.
