I UNDERSTAND that Choa Chu Kang Secondary School is organising field trips to countries such as Japan and China this school holiday.

I am surprised parents can afford these trips and are willing to pay thousands of dollars for them.

Such trips are becoming the norm these days, rather than an option, though the latter may be so technically.

A student who wants to opt out feels pressured. Parents also find it hard to reject the child's request to go on an overseas field trip.

Why are schools organising such activities in a recession year?

Are schools not innovative enough to organise educational and entertaining programmes in Singapore?

I appeal to the Ministry of Education to review such overseas programmes, especially in a difficult year for many parents.

Lee Keen Meng

This article was first published in The Straits Times.