In recent years, the need for summer camps and children’s educational and entertainment activities has increased significantly, especially given that parents are keen to keep their children away from electronic devices as much as possible.
The supply appears to have expanded significantly without regulation, or named oversight by a government entity. In some cases, one can sense that it has become mainly commercial rather than developmental.
Stronger supervision by both the Education Ministry and the Youth Ministry is required, especially to ensure the qualification of trainers and the clarity of their records regarding criminal or other offences.
Furthermore, prioritising competent national talent in this sector, including university students, trained graduates, retirees and qualified part-time workers, is recommended.
A supervising government entity can also ensure emergency preparedness and that first-aid requirements are met. And, lastly, a transparent system for feedback and complaints from students and their parents must be launched and published within the advertisements of these camps.
In conclusion, proper regulation of summer camps is essential to ensure children’s safety, and their academic and psychological development. It also helps parents in keeping their children positively engaged during a long summer break.
Yousif B
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