Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

'Already lost half our instructors': Some outdoor education operators fear that new requirements may worsen manpower woes

SINGAPORE — With height-based school activities resuming from Feb 1, some operators handling private outdoor adventure education now fear that new certification requirements set by the Ministry of Education (MOE) for outdoor activity instructors could pose a further challenge to a sector already battered by an ongoing manpower crunch and lengthy breaks.

Students scaling a rock-climbing wall at the Jalan Bahtera Outdoor Adventure Learning Centre on Feb 1, 2023.

Students scaling a rock-climbing wall at the Jalan Bahtera Outdoor Adventure Learning Centre on Feb 1, 2023.

Follow TODAY on WhatsApp
  • From Feb 1, height-based school activities will progressively resume after a suspension imposed in 2021 due to the death of a boy at Safra Yishun club
  • With the resumption, MOE has imposed new accreditation conditions that require specialised training for instructors, among other changes
  • Some operators in the outdoor education line worry that this may worsen the manpower crunch they already face 
  • The two-year suspension of height-based school activities had also cast a pall over the careers of many outdoor instructors
  • An industry association said that there are just 60 or so instructors now, a steep decline from the 110 instructors in 2019

SINGAPORE — With height-based school activities resuming from Feb 1, some operators handling private outdoor adventure education now fear that new certification requirements set by the Ministry of Education (MOE) for outdoor activity instructors could pose a further challenge to a sector already battered by an ongoing manpower crunch and lengthy breaks.

At the annual general meeting of the Outdoor Learning Adventure Education Association (OLAE) on Thursday (Feb 3) evening, several operators told TODAY that they were worried about the pool of qualified outdoor instructors shrinking further, though they acknowledged that the enhanced measures would help reassure schools and parents about the safety of such activities.

MOE now stipulates that instructors must hold qualifications from the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) for certain height-based activities, its press release on Feb 1 stated. This is on top of other new requirements, such as yearly mandatory training, which can include re-certification courses by professional training providers or skills verification sessions by MOE.

The new move came as part of the resumption of height-based school activities after a pause that lasted close to two years, which was imposed after 15-year-old Jethro Puah Xin Yang died from a fall at a high-element rope course at Safra Yishun club in 2021.

Before that, schools had already suspended height-based activities until the end of 2020 due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

OLAE's secretary general Delane Lim said that these disruptions halved the number of instructors in the industry today compared with 2019, because many had turned to new industries as the long recess cast a pall over their careers.

That left the sector with just 60 or so instructors now, a steep decline from the 110 instructors who were active in 2019, he added. 

Speaking to TODAY at the sidelines of the OLAE's meeting, Mr Mike Lim, co-founder of adventure company Innotrek, said that his company lost about 50 per cent of its high-rope freelance instructors over the past three years. 

Like many other outdoor adventure firms, it has had to rely on other remaining freelancers when faced with programmes that need more manpower, especially with upcoming programmes as activities resume.

However, the new MOE certification requirements could also deter freelancers from wanting to remain in this line, he added. 

To get the ACCT qualifications, instructors would have to fork out up to S$1,000 to undergo training. Freelancers would likely need to cough out the fees for such courses out of their own pocket.

ACCT is a United States-accredited standards developer for the international challenge course, aerial adventure park, canopy tour and zip-line industry. 

Mr Delane Lim from OLAE said that the move to have ACCT certification goes above and beyond what other countries require to ensure that such activities are safe for children.

He noted that Singapore has four accredited sites for ACCT training, whereas the United States, a much larger country, has five sites.

"When dealing with kids, safety is first. Those who don't want to put in the extra work shouldn't work in this line," he added.

MANPOWER WOES

Since training was a costly expense and some freelancers may not want to pay for it, the new requirements would likely worsen the industry's manpower woes, Mr Mike Lim of Innotrek said.

Agreeing, Camp Challenge's chief operating officer and assistant director Wendy Tan foresees that it will be harder to attract freelancers when most of them have the perception that there will be “more work” due to these enhanced measures during the transition period. This is a problem because her company relies heavily on freelancers.

For now, her company hires 10 instructors on a full-time basis.

She added: "We are (competing) for the same pool of people from other gig economy sectors. They might perceive that a Grab drivers’ income is better when they compare the risk, liability and effort (to our field)."

The issue was also raised by members at the OLAE's annual general meeting, which was held at the Lifelong Learning Institute on Thursday.

Other new measures introduced to improve safety also include mandating quarterly maintenance checks at sites by accredited professionals. Site operators will also need to be accredited by ACCT.

TODAY has reached out to other private height-based activities operators for comment.

PROGRESSIVE RESUMPTION WELCOMED

Despite these requirements posing potential problems to the industry, OLAE welcomed the return of height-based activities for schools and the part that the resumption will be in phases.

For the first two months of resumption, accredited operators will do so at a reduced tempo of 50 per cent or less of their normal operational capacity until March 31.

As of Feb 1, none of the private outdoor adventure companies meet the new requirements set out by MOE. The only ones to meet the criteria is Outward Bound Singapore and those in MOE-affiliated campsites.

The lower capacity until March 31 will allow operators to "rebuild, take on staff, train them and ensure they comply with new requirements", Mr Delane Lim said.

He also said that the gradual resumption will allow companies in the private sector to get their sites accredited and “ensure readiness and quality of instructors whose skills will be verified by the respective site” before restarting operations. 

STUDENTS LOOKING FORWARD TO ACTIVITIES

On Feb 1 at ​​MOE's Jalan Bahtera Outdoor Adventure Learning Centre, TODAY spoke to several Gan Eng Seng School students at their yearly school camp.

All said that they felt assured about safety throughout the time that they carried out height-based activities such as abseiling.

Bao-Anh Nguyen, 15, said: “We felt very safe because (the instructors) were very adamant about our equipment working correctly… (our equipment) got checked I think at least three or four times before starting the course.”

Mr Clarence Loh, Gan Eng Seng School 's Secondary 3 year head, believes that the overall mood among parents over the resumption of such activities is positive. 

“Definitely, there’ll be a small group of parents who will be concerned but we are hopeful with this gradual resumption that is starting today, confidence will be regained,” he said.

Mr Loh added that the school had received an overwhelming response from students when applications to sign up for the camp opened. Such applications needed parental consent. 

Another student, 15-year-old Regina Ong, said that she had been "scared" to take part in the activities due to her fear of heights.

"But my mum wanted me to go for the (activities). She was not worried at all.”

Related topics

MOE Jethro Puah schools outdoor

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to our newsletter for the top features, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.