Planning picnics: New tough test for teachers, school administration

Madhura Chitale, a teacher at a Jogeshwari-based school spent over two weeks in what she calls “the most difficult job of the year”– planning a school picnic. Chitale

Madhura Chitale, a teacher at a Jogeshwari-based school spent over two weeks in what she calls “the most difficult job of the year”– planning a school picnic. Chitale has been entrusted with various tasks, from taking parents’ consent to securing all the permissions.

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Gone are the days when schools looked forward to their annual picnics that promised to give both, teachers and students a break from the monotony of time tables and homework. With concerns over the safety of students, transport issues, and costs, schools – especially the aided and the budget private ones – are now having a tough time organising their annual picnics.

“We had planned to take students to a resort in Thane but cancelled the idea after we were told that at least four hours would be lost in the commute. The cost involved in the transport was also going over our budget. We then took them to the Mahim Nature Park for a small excursion,” said Chitale.

In 2019, KVK School in Ghatkopar decided to avoid resorts and theme parks for excursions. “We had many issues with such picnics. Managing such a huge number of students is not easy in a park where there are students from other schools as well. We thus decided to go to locations where they can learn something while allowing us to plan it without many hurdles. “This year, we took them to Shivneri fort in Pune and showed them an actual sugar factory,” said Jagdish Indalkar, school principal.

At Parle Tilak Vidyalaya in Vile Parle, primary students have been taken to nearby recreational spaces for the last few years. “We took our students to an indoor theme park in a mall this year. They give us a good discount and students get to spend time and have fun without the hassle of travelling to a resort or a far-off destination. This also eliminates any risks,” said Swapna Trailokya, principal.

In 2016, the state education department issued a circular, asking schools to ensure that students are not taken to risky and potentially dangerous locations like beaches, hills, etc. It also laid down a set of guidelines to be followed before and during the picnic. Some of the guidelines included having a doctor present, getting consent forms signed by parents, and ensuring at least one teacher is present with every 10 students. The rules were issued after 14 Pune students who had visited Murud beach for their picnic drowned.

“While these guidelines were essential, it has now become the responsibility of schools to ensure that the child is safe, even in certain unforeseen circumstances. This worries schools because not all things can be controlled at all times and they don’t want to take any risk,” said Uday Nare, teacher at Hansraj Morarji Public School, Andheri.

Prashant Redij, spokesperson of the Mumbai Principals’ Association said that organising even a day-long excursion requires a lot of formalities. “Travelling has also become a big hassle today as it takes hours in the commute, leaving very little time to spend at the venue,” he said.

Sudam Kumbhar, principal, Shailendra Education Society’s High School said, “We conduct purely educational tours and take our children to places like the planetarium or the science centre. These trips are also affordable for parents.”

Anil Garg, president of the School Bus Owners Association said that while fuel costs have increased, other challenges are also responsible for this trend. “We had recently asked a resort to ensure that students get medical insurance, but all they promised to provide was first aid and a doctor on call, which is not enough,” said Garg.

Parents said that hearing about school picnic tragedies causes a lot of panic and anxiety. “We hear so much that we are reluctant to send our children far. Also, in a place like a waterpark, safety is a big concern as not all kids can be monitored at all times,” said a parent from Thane.

Many parents opined that the enthusiasm for picnics has also worn off as children are now exposed to more sources of recreation. “Today they go to malls, watch movies and do many things that were not very common a few years ago. The novelty factor of picnics is lost,” said another parent.