Overseas Excursions Should Continue

Should parents still allow kids to go on overseas excursions? In many ways I guess this question is inevitable in the light of the Sabah earthquake. Some people are questioning the need for overseas school excursions after several schoolchildren died in the earthquake last week.

Now even though I do not believe anyone is to blame for the deaths of the children, I won't say such questions are unreasonable. After all, there is almost no question that it is safer to just conduct camps and events in Singapore than overseas. Things are certainly safer and more controlled in Singapore than in other countries within Southeast Asia. However, even though I understand why questions are being asked, my answer is that overseas school excursions should continue. 

The simple fact is that Singapore schoolchildren has been going for overseas excursions for years already and the vast majority of times, none of the children come back with any injury. As sad it is, it would not be incorrect to say that the children from Tanjong Katong Primary School were unlucky. They just happened to be on Mount Kinabalu when the earthquake struck and there's not much anyone can do in an earthquake when you are on a mountain. 

Children had went overseas in the past and there had been no problems. There's no reason for the MOE (Ministry of Education) to change the rules over one sad incident.