A school division in Manitoba is considering making changes to a field trip program that sees students travel overseas.
Alain Laberge is Superintendent of Division Scolaire Franco-Manitoban (DSFM). He explains the division has a program in place where students get the opportunity to travel abroad. Currently, they have students that are preparing for trips to Spain and France.
Laberge says administration realizes the importance of the trip from a cultural and educational perspective. He insists that the reason for reviewing the policy is not because they disagree with the purpose of these trips, but rather it has to do with equity.
"Some students cannot afford to go on a trip like this and then it's like we are creating a two-tier system in our school division," explains Laberge. "Which we don't think is the proper thing to do, especially when we are promoting inclusion and diversity and equity."
Laberge says students have been travelling to Spain and France for quite a few years now. He explains students will register for Spanish or French class in grade 11 and after taking the course for two years the goal is to visit a Spanish or French country. In that way they can get accustomed to both the culture and language.
Laberge says the division has come to realize that the cost of the program is probably prohibiting some students from attending. He notes the division does not cover any of the costs and so each student is expected to pay between $4,000 and $6,000. Laberge says flights and hotels are only getting more expensive. Then, if you consider that some families might have two or three children that want to take part in the program at some point, the end result can be extremely costly.
According to Laberge, the division conducted a survey in May of teachers, administrators and Parent Advisory Councils. He notes the division was reviewing its international field trip program and was looking for feedback. Laberge says when they tallied the results, 50 per cent were in favour of keeping the trips, while 50 per cent were opposed. However, he notes it is unclear whether those who want the trips to continue are in favour of inclusion for all students or whether they are in favour of the trips with hopes that there will be help from the division. Laberge says for that reason they will be doing a second survey in March.
Laberge says for now, it is status quo. The trips that have been booked will not be cancelled. He says these trips take 18 months of planning and Laberge expects those planned for the 2024/25 school year will continue.
"And our wish is that we can continue these trips, but making sure that all students are included," he adds.
Laberge says all students deserve this experience, noting it cannot only be an enrichment for only half of their students.
If the program should end at some point, Laberge says he is not sure what could replace it.
"If we can't do it anymore, what else can we do to replace these trips to make sure that our kids have a knowledge of what's going on around the planet," he asks.
Laberge says it is important that the division comes up with a solution where everyone is a winner. Though he does not want to see the international field trip program end, he says they need to make sure that all students can go.
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