Recreation Aotearoa welcomes go-ahead for outdoor education and school camps

Recreation Aotearoa Chief Executive, Andrew Leslie has welcomed the New Zealand Ministry of Education announcement allowing outdoor education and school camps to go ahead.

Leslie advises “The Ministry of Education has made it clear to school leaders that education outside the classroom (EOTC) activities can proceed at the red setting. Tamariki and rangatahi will be looking forward to the amazing experiences on offer over the next couple of months.”

The Ministry of Education has advised school leaders that outdoor education providers will essentially be treated as school premises, while curriculum related EOTC is taking place.

Leslie notes “School Camps and Outdoor Education are formative experiences for young New Zealanders. The physical and mental health benefits of outdoor education are well documented. But it is the resilience building and social skill development that is so important right now.

“School camps are often the first introduction to the great outdoors for many New Zealanders and for many, lead to a lifetime of engagement with the natural world and an appreciation of active recreation.

“Outdoor Education and school camp providers are excellent managers of risk. It is great to know that despite the challenges in front of us, young people can still enjoy these experiences and that they are valued by the education system.”