Safety first, should be every school's motto

A group of students and teachers from a higher secondary school got stuck at a waterfall during a trek. They were rescued by the fire services, the forest department and locals. Thankfully, they all returned home safe.

But, for those hours during which they were stranded, one can only imagine the trauma that the group and their relatives went through. In the school it may be back to studying with the usual fun and games, but some of the young students may relive this trauma for a long time.

Goa in the monsoons, a cautionary tale

The question that arises from this incident is: Was it necessary to schedule a school trek to a waterfall during the monsoon?

Let’s look at the background for this question. The waterfalls in Goa are at their most gorgeous during the monsoon, but also at their most dangerous. This is a known fact.

Goa’s waterfalls are not along highways and easily accessible like in some other states, where you can stop along the way and enjoy the beauty of the fall. In Goa, you have to make your way into the interiors to find these secluded falls. Also a known fact.

Let’s look at the background for this question. The waterfalls in Goa are at their most gorgeous during the monsoon, but also at their most dangerous. This is a known fact.

Beautiful as they are, there have been a number of accidents at the waterfalls, and the government has been consistently sending out cautionary messages not to venture to waterfalls during the monsoon. Even banning entry to the falls in some cases.

These cautionary messages and bans are aimed at tourists, too, who ignore the warnings of the locals and plunge into fun at the falls, risking their lives.

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Wasn’t the higher secondary school aware of these cautions from the government? Weren’t they aware there was a ban on going to waterfalls? If they were, and it is implausible that they weren’t, did they deliberately ignore the ban?

One always looks at educational institutes as setting the best example for others to follow. What will students learn when their teachers ignore the cautions and warnings of the government?

Wasn’t the higher secondary school aware of these cautions from the government? Weren’t they aware there was a ban on going to waterfalls? If they were, and it is implausible that they weren’t, did they deliberately ignore the ban?

That nobody was hurt may lead the educational institute to look the other way on this issue, but at the very least, this is an act of carelessness on the part of the higher secondary school and the teachers, perhaps even leading to be marked as wilful negligence on their part.

The school has to assume responsibility for this, and those who selected the site for the trek, reprimanded.

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One expects the highest standards of behaviour from teachers. But, Goa has, in the past weeks, also heard of corporal punishment in schools and the government has taken action in this regard.

Why is it that the schools and teachers are getting ahead of themselves, instead of following the rules and doing as they should? Corporal punishment, treks to waterfalls in the monsoon. What next?

It also makes one wonder whether any of the students pointed out to the teachers of the ban on visiting waterfalls. If they didn’t, then it indicates that the teaching staff does not encourage students to voice their opinion.

It also makes one wonder whether any of the students pointed out to the teachers of the ban on visiting waterfalls. If they didn’t, then it indicates that the teaching staff does not encourage students to voice their opinion.

Surely, students should be given a say on where they are being taken on a trek. This was a higher secondary school, and not a primary of middle school outing.

This month, we also celebrated Teacher’s Day. It is a day when the teachers are honoured for the work they do – educating and forming responsible citizens of the future. What example are they setting to the students with the decisions they are taking and their actions?

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Teachers are not role models or leaders only in the classroom. Their influence extends beyond the school, and is not restricted to merely passing on textbook knowledge to the students.

The students follow the example of their teachers, sometimes even more than that of their parents.

In future, school managements should be more prudent when selecting the location for treks and picnics. Safety of the students and the teachers is of paramount importance.