The People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) has welcomed the suspension of school educational trips but urged the Ministry of Education and Sports to review the policy governing such activities.
PFF Deputy President Lulume Bayiga called on the government to take advantage of digital technology to produce educational documentaries that schools can use as learning materials.
Bayiga said the documentaries could feature major landmarks and important sites across the country, allowing pupils and students to learn about them without having to travel long distances.
He argued that the approach would reduce the costs associated with educational trips while also lowering the risk of road accidents involving schoolchildren, which he said are increasingly common.
Bayiga also criticised schools that have turned educational trips into expensive commercial ventures, saying the high costs place an unnecessary financial burden on parents and exclude learners from low-income families.
He proposed the use of documentaries, audiovisual materials and recorded field visits as affordable alternatives that could give learners equal access to educational experiences regardless of their families’ financial circumstances.
