Akeed – Leaked documents that provided contradictory accounts of the destination of the deadly school trip to Zarqa’a Ma’in area last Thursday has been extensively covered by various media outlets. A total of 21 people died and 43 were injured - mostly school children - in the tragic incident near the Dead Sea after they were swept away by flash floods caused by heavy rainfall.

Documents pertaining to the correspondence between Victoria College School and the education directorate that gave approval for the trip provided conflicting accounts of the path of the excursion.

Media emphasis on the school’s decision to change the trip’s destination implied that this was the main reason behind the incident. However, other factors came into play. It is worth noting that other picnickers – aside from school children - were at the site when the torrential downpour hit, some of whom lost their lives or were injured.

Leaked documents showed a contradiction in the trip’s exact destination for which official approval was granted.

The confusion revolves around the name of the area: “Zarqa’ Ma’in” - close to the Dead Sea - or Azraq in Zarqa governorate in the Eastern part of the Kingdom, or “Wadi Al-Azraq” area.

Leakage of the first letter issued by the Education Directorate/University District to Victoria School coincided with a statement by Minister of Education and Higher Education and Scientific Research Azmi Mahafzah. The Minister blamed the school for changing the destination of the trip that was stated in the letter of approval from “Azraq” to Zarqa’a Ma’in”.

“Victoria School submitted a request for approval of a school trip to Azraq, not to the Dead Sea,” said the official. He added that the Ministry will take legal measures against the school and its management in accordance with the instructions pertaining to school trips issued by the Ministry of Education.”

The other two letters sent from Victoria College to the same directorate show a contradiction with what the directorate approved on. One of these letters stated that the destination is “Wadi Al-Azraq – Amman.” The other stated that it is “Wadi Al-Azraq.” Azraq area was not mentioned in neither of the letters for which approval was issued.

Two more documents that were issued by the school were also leaked. In the first, the school asked for parent permission for a trip to “Wadi Zarqa’ - Ma’in.” The second document included the trip program with the route specified: from Amman to “Wadi Zarqa Ma’in” in Madaba.

A hand-written paper, leaked and circulated on social media platforms summarized the school’s “violations”. These included “changing the route from Azraq to the Jordan Valley (Dead Sea). Another violation was that the Ministry gave approval for students in grades 7-9 to join the trip, while parents gave permission for their children in grades 6-8 to join.

According to the paper, the Ministry’s instructions state that students should return before sunset, while the trip’s program said students will return at 8 p.m. The number of chaperons approved by the Ministry was 2, while 7 actually joined the trip. The Ministry gave approval for 30 students, while the actual number who participated stood at 36, said the paper.

Neither the Ministry, nor the school provided the detailed route of the trip which is usually requested for any trip. What was also notable was the striking ignorance of Jordan’s geography, names of sites, and spelling mistakes in the correspondence.
 

Through statements given to the media, state officials tried to highlight the “violations” committed by the school. They stressed that it did not adhere to the instructions comprised in the Ministry’s approval letter regarding general safety measures relative to school trips nor to preventing students from swimming.

But activists took to social media to criticize the government’s emphasis on “violations” committed by the school and for holding it responsible for the tragedy. These included statements by Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Jumana Ghuneimat who said “the school broke the general safety regulations set by the Ministry of Education.” She added that “the school took a different route from the one specified in the Ministry’s letter.”

In a statement to the press, Ghuneimat said that “there is a missing link in the documents and correspondence between the school, the parents, and the Ministry of Education,” adding that “the school will be panelized if proven guilty.”

In a post titled: “Document Confirms that Government is Fully Responsible for the School Trip Tragedy,” a website published the school’s letter addressed to the Education directorate/University District.

It said that “since the start, the school’s trip was planned for Wadi Al-Azraq in Ma’in. However, the government immediately tried to take advantage of the similarity in the name of two areas that include the word “Azraq”. These are Azraq area in Zarqa government, and Wadi Al-Azraq area in Madaba governorate – Ma’in, explained the document.

Following the incident, Prime Minister Dr. Omar Razzaz decided to set up a committee to identify the reasons behind the calamity. The committee, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Raja’i Mu’asher should present a comprehensive report on the incident, so that the government can take appropriate measures. The Premier also tasked the team with presenting a comprehensive study on the condition of bridges, public installations, and infrastructure across the Kingdom. The committee should also come up with recommendations related to the installation of an early warning system to enhance national capacity in dealing with natural disasters.