School trips are an integral part of the learning process. The organisers must exercise the highest levels of integrity and ensure that the well-being, safety, and acceptable ethical conduct of staff and learners are upheld.
Fairness, honesty, and transparency in the planning and execution of all steps involving the trip must be embraced by the trip organisers to ensure that parents derive real educational value.
This is very crucial in fostering long-term customer perception and relationships. It also fosters the reputation of the trip organisers.
More often than not, instances have been witnessed when trip costing is grossly exaggerated. To avoid this, the school tour organizers ought to do honest work.
A tour can easily lead to distrust of all possible programmes in the institutions where those travelling would read elements of unfairness.
Many people do wonder why the logistics of travelling over a distance of just 50km by road could cost learners over Ksh.4,000, exclusive of refreshments and other logistics.
Why should we ask parents and guardians to pay excessively high amounts even after securing abnormally high rates of commission?
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There are certain instances when trip organisers use extremely aggressive or intimidating tactics to encourage learners to demand money from their parents.
It is alleged that some school tour organisers have their own partners or agents who charge fictitiously excessive fees and commissions, which are then passed on to the learners. This is indeed unfortunate because parents are exploited to the core.
Even as the trip organisers do everything to ensure success, they must also ensure that the vehicles intended for use are in good mechanical order, which includes checking the tyres and brakes.
The driver should have a valid driver’s license, and the vehicle should be fully insured to avoid taking unnecessary risks.
It’s also the role of trip organisers to ensure that the capacity and size of the car do not exceed the number of travelers.
The Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission must authorise travel, which must occur within the generally acceptable timeframe stipulated by the Kenya National Transport Safety Authority.
By Hillary Muhalya.
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