The death of a 17-year-old international school student during a school trip to Cambodia has sparked concern among parents who want answers and a review of guidelines on overseas excursions.
Kaira Karmakar, an Indian national who was studying at United World College of South-east Asia (UWCSEA) in Dover Road, died in a road accident on June 1 while on a school trip to the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh.
She was with her classmates and without teachers or adult representatives.
UWCSEA Dover head Patrick Hurworth, in an e-mail to parents on June 1, informed them that Kaira had died while in Cambodia for the school’s project week.
UWCSEA head of college Nick Alchin, in an e-mail on June 7, said the school was planning to have an external investigation done on the accident as well as project week. The final report, he added, would be submitted to the audit and risk committee of the school’s board of governors.
But a parent said it has been nearly three months and there has been no update on the incident since the June 7 e-mail. The parent also asked why the school would allow students to go on an overseas trip without an adult.
UWCSEA declined to answer queries on the accident or the review of project week guidelines.
The Straits Times
