Disdik Issues Ban on "Study Tour" After Successive Accident on Tangerang SMPN 4 Bus on Japek Toll Road

After a series of accidents involving a SMPN 4 Tangerang group bus, the Tangerang City Education Office officially banned study tours for all elementary and junior high school students. 

This is stated in Circular Letter (SE) Number 421.3/0452-Pemb.SMP/ concerning the implementation of outing class learning. 

The Head of the Tangerang City Education Office, Jamaludin said, the ban on study tour activities outside the city applies to all schools, both public and private categories. 

"Yes, it's true, all elementary and junior high school education units are prohibited from carrying out the learning process outside the classroom outside the Tangerang City area," said Jamaluddin when confirmed, Thursday (16/2/2023). 

Jamal explained, this circular letter prohibiting study tours was issued to schools in anticipation of a recurrence of unwanted incidents for students or teachers. 

"This is a risk mitigation effort carried out by the Tangerang City Education Office in order to regulate the implementation of the learning process outside the classroom for children," he explained. 

The issuance of a circular prohibiting study tours outside the area follows the incident where the bus tour group for SMP Negeri 4 Tangerang experienced a pile-up while on a tour to the city of Bandung. 

The bus for the group of students had an accident around 07.30 WIB in the Bekasi area, Wednesday (15/2/2023). 

There were four students who experienced trauma and minor injuries. Meanwhile, one teacher was rushed to the hospital because of an injury to the temple caused by a broken glass bus, and another teacher drove the four students back home. 

Even though there had been an accident, apart from the six people, they continued on to Bandung. 

As for the Circular Letter, there are six things conveyed by the Tangerang City Education Office:

1. Outing class is conducted as a learning strategy to help improve children's development through learning outside the classroom, not as an outing/tour. 

2. Outing classes are not mandatory and do not burden students/parents. 

3. Implementation of outing classes conducted by the education unit must have the approval of the parents/guardians of the students. 

4. Students who do not take part in the outing class should be given other assignments that are relevant to the outing class. 

5. Details of activity and learning plans that will be carried out during the outing class must be submitted to the Tangerang City Education Office. 

6. The outing class is carried out in the vicinity of the City of Tangerang and is not allowed to be carried out outside the area. 

"Thus, events that have happened like yesterday can be a lesson so that similar things don't happen again," said Jamaludin. 

SMPN 4 Tangerang Public Relations Representative Siti Maesaroh said that her party appreciated what the Tangerang City Education Office had decided to ban study tour activities outside the area. 

However, he stressed, the incident of successive accidents that occurred on the bus group of students from his school yesterday was a disaster that was not caused by any fault of his part. 

"So this incident (the successive accidents) and the fact that this is also not the fault of the school," he said. 

However, the activity of visiting outside the area was not an act of coercion so that the Grade 8 students went with them. 

"But for the rest they just enjoy it (even after the accident), and when they go home they are happy, the ride continues to Bandung," he said.