Is the Field Trip Supervisor a Vehicle Expert?

"Tire Retreading and Wear Condition Inspection Instructions Are Incorrect"
Jeong Muchang, Gwangju City Council Member, Says "Learning Content Should Be Reevaluated"

Jeong Muchang, Gwangju City Council Member

There have been calls to improve field trips at frontline schools that shift responsibility onto teachers.

On the 6th, Jeong Muchang, a member of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council (Democratic Party, Gwangsan-gu 2), questioned during the administrative audit of the Gwangju Student Independence Movement Memorial Hall, “Isn’t it unfair to place unlimited responsibility on teachers by not only having one teacher lead 20 students and ensure their safety but also instructing the supervising teacher to conduct driver alcohol tests and vehicle safety inspections?”

Jeong pointed out, “Asking a field trip supervising teacher, who is not a vehicle maintenance expert, to check for the presence of retread tires on the front tires, tire wear, and cracks is a desk-bound administration by the City Education Office aimed at shifting responsibility to teachers in case of an accident.”

In May, the Gwangju Student Independence Movement Memorial Hall sent an official letter to each school regarding the ‘2024 Gwangju Spirit History Exploration Program Operation Plan,’ including pre-departure education and vehicle safety inspection checklists as part of administrative cooperation.

The checklist includes items such as ▲driver qualification requirements ▲use of retread tires on front tires ▲checking tire wear and cracks ▲illegal structural modifications inside the vehicle ▲driver education covering matters that should be conducted by vehicle maintenance experts, such as prohibiting the use of low gear on downhill slopes and continuous use of the foot brake, all of which are to be confirmed by the supervising teacher.

Regarding this, the Gwangju Student Independence Movement Memorial Hall stated that once the bus company submits the vehicle safety inspection checklist as the first step, the field trip teacher conducts a secondary safety inspection, and they believe this method poses no issues.

Jeong emphasized, “Vehicle inspections should not be delegated to non-expert teachers. All safety matters should be managed by the City Education Office, allowing teachers to focus on planning the content of the field trips.”