Transporting dozens and dozens of teenagers is a risk that many teachers are now afraid to take. And so, this year too, half of the students will not leave. This is what emerges from the 2024 edition of the annual school travel observatory School network, carried out on a sample of 1,200 middle and high school students. 31% of schools have already informed them that the long-awaited educational trip will not take place, while 8% have personally given up, either by their own choice or by their family. 12% are waiting for decisions, but with little hope since it is already March. One in four students report that the main cause of withdrawal is linked to teachers' unwillingness to take on the responsibility of traveling with entire classes of boys and girls. But the reasons are multiple. 17% of those questioned will not be able to leave for disciplinary reasons, 12% because of the excessively high costs required for package travel. However, 7% will not leave because the minimum number of participants has not been reached. Some students, however, report that he will leave with less than half the class.
Costs too high
Even for those who manage to leave, the budget turns out to be a particularly determining factor. Most trips last less than three days and are limited to national borders, with destinations often less touristy and less expensive. However, Naples, Florence and Rome remain the most popular destinations, while among foreign destinations Athens, Madrid, Barcelona, Vienna and Prague stand out. Generally speaking, the cost of travel is around 400 euros. It is indeed not surprising that the bus is the most used means of transport to reach the destination (56%), followed by the plane (22%) and the train (14%).
Government aid? Only 3% benefited
Despite economic difficulties, someone managed to benefit from the 50 million euro fund made available by the government for educational trips. However, only 3% of respondents have used the bonus, while 2% are waiting for an answer to their question. “Unfortunately, participating in educational trips with at least one overnight stay away from home continues to be a privilege for half of high school students. The problem – comments Daniele Grassucci, director of Skuola Net – essentially remains money. Those who are missing in families and those who are missing in schools to encourage the participation of teachers, forced to assume enormous responsibilities, often for free and out of love for others.
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