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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

Teachers' anxieties curb school field trips

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Teachers are increasingly hesitant to organize field trips due to safety concerns and the burden of administrative tasks and potential liability.
  • The number of schools conducting non-accommodation field trips in Seoul has drastically decreased, particularly in elementary schools, with only 26% of them holding such trips this year.
  • Despite the challenges, some teachers are persevering with school trips, utilizing support from local governments and building trust with parents, while teacher unions advocate for legal protection and reduced responsibility in accidents.

The Hankyoreh highlights a growing crisis in South Korean education: the sharp decline in school field trips, driven by teachers' anxieties over safety, administrative burdens, and personal liability. The article portrays teachers as caught between the educational value of experiential learning and the risks associated with organizing such activities.

This time in their lives will not come again.

· Teacher A, 6th-grade homeroom teacherExplaining the importance of field trips for students.

The piece paints a stark picture of the situation, citing a dramatic drop in non-accommodation field trips in Seoul schools. For elementary schools, the participation rate has plummeted from 99% in 2023 to just 26% this year. This decline is attributed to a confluence of factors, including parental concerns, the fear of accidents, and the overwhelming administrative workload placed on teachers. One teacher, who recently led a "Unification Education Bus" trip, emphasized the irreplaceable nature of these experiences for students, stating, "This time in their lives will not come again."

Preparing for field trips requires too many tasks, such as bidding for buses and inspecting restaurants, but they reduced that burden and provided safety personnel, so we were able to go.

· Teacher AHighlighting the administrative support received for a field trip.

Despite the discouraging trend, the article showcases the dedication of some teachers who continue to champion school trips. These educators are actively seeking support from local governments and educational offices, which provide assistance with logistics such as bus rentals and safety personnel. This external support is crucial in alleviating some of the administrative pressure and mitigating safety risks. The article also underscores the importance of building strong trust with parents through transparent communication and consistent sharing of student activities via class social media accounts.

It feels like we're not taking buses because we can't, but because we're not allowed to.

· Teacher D, elementary schoolExpressing frustration over the inability to organize bus-based field trips.

However, the underlying issue of teacher liability remains a significant concern. Teachers often feel that they are solely responsible for any accidents that may occur, leading to immense stress and a reluctance to take on such responsibilities. Teacher unions are actively campaigning for legal immunity for educators in cases of accidents during educational activities, arguing that the state should bear greater responsibility. The article concludes by noting that while the government has acknowledged these concerns, the structural issues that place the burden on individual teachers persist, creating a climate of anxiety that threatens the future of experiential learning in South Korean schools.

The burden of responsibility for teacher safety is not lessened by bus rental support; it only reduces administrative tasks.

· Teacher D, elementary schoolClarifying the limitations of administrative support.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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