KINGSTON, Jamaica--The Ministry of Education is to review the policy regarding field trips for schools following last week's incident in which two students from St Andrew College drowned at a beach in Portland.
Grace McLean, acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, said Monday that the review would be part of efforts by the Government to implement tighter measures where trips were concerned.
She said that school beach trips were never authorised by the ministry and that the education policy only allows for field trips that specifically relate to areas of the school curriculum.
"Beach trips are not allowed and under no circumstance should a principal sign off on our students going on beach trips," declared McLean who, along with other ministry officials, visited the Cross Roads-based school to offer counselling and support to teachers and the over 900 students.
"We [within the ministry] will now have to also review our policies as it relates to field trips," she added.
McLean said that part of the review would include a recommendation that more reminders are sent to schools about guidelines regarding such.
She said that the police had since launched an investigation into the drowning of the two.
The permanent secretary said that ministry officials would meet at the school to begin a preliminary review into the tragic incident and would complete an independent review on the case by Thursday.
"This would be presented to the school board to apply the necessary sanctions as would have been determined by the policies and procedures at the school, in keeping with our Code of Ethics.
"We expect that by the latest Thursday ministry officials will have [completed] our independent review. This will be shared with the board of directors and the principal," said McLean.
Fourth formers Demel Osburne, 17, and Shane Burke, 16, were part of a group of approximately 40 students who went on a trip to St Mary to complete a School-Based Assessment project.
Before heading back to Kingston the bus with the students and four teachers headed further east to a beach in Portland where the two students drowned.
The actions of the teachers and students have since been described as a breach of ministry of education rules, McLean said.
Meanwhile, the ministry of education is expected to assist the parents with the funeral expenses.
Yesterday, the school's principal Donovan Isaacs disclosed that one of the parents who suffered the loss was considering legal action.
Only one of the students was insured. (Jamaica Observer)
