NBS Camp Cancelled as Precautionary Measure

SAO calls for increased safety and vigilance after cases of seizures at Nanyang Business School’s Freshmen Orientation Camp.

By Aqil Haziq, News Editor

FUN AND GAMES: Nanyang Business School students participate in a team activity during the school’s Freshmen Orientation Camp last year.
PHOTO: NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY FACEBOOK PAGE

The Nanyang Business School (NBS) Freshmen Orientation Camp (FOC) was cancelled on Wednesday — two days before it was due to end — after four of its participants were hospitalised, having suffered seizures.

All of them have since been discharged.

The cancellation was a joint decision by the camp chairperson, his organising committee and the school, said Associate Professor Low Kin Yew, Associate Dean (Undergraduate Academic) at NBS, in response to queries from the Nanyang Chronicle.

While the cause of the seizures is still being investigated, Assoc Prof Low said it was “possible that fatigue during camp or even a lack of adequate sleep accumulated over the World Cup period” could have been contributing factors.

However, he ruled out physically-demanding or late night camp activities as possible causes. “The planned camp activities were not overly strenuous and were scheduled to end by about 11pm each night,” Assoc Prof Low added.

The Students Affairs Office (SAO) earlier today issued an advisory to organising members of upcoming FOCs, stressing that they should ensure adequate sleep for all participants.

Participants who recently attended another FOC should also be allowed to pull out of camp if found to have insufficient rest

Students the Nanyang Chronicle spoke to were surprised at the news of the hospitalisations, given the number of safety measures in place.

“FOC is normally physically draining, but I didn’t think it would go to this extent. It makes people wonder what they do in there,” said a second-year NBS student who declined to be named. He was not a participant in the cancelled camp.

Under university guidelines, students have to declare pre-existing medical conditions before joining these FOCs. Those below 21 are also required to seek parental consent.

Checks with other FOC organising committees confirmed that strict regulations are in place to safeguard the interests of all participants. For example, games and activities have to be approved by an officer from the SAO before camp programmes can be conducted.

“While it is devastating to see months of hard work go down the drain, cancellation is a harsh but necessary step for the safety of the freshmen,” said Kamini Manivannan, 21, chairperson of the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information FOC held earlier this month.

The NBS FOC cancellation has led some organising committees to review their camp activities.

Wong Jia Rong, 22, a programme planner for the Hall of Residence 7 FOC starting later this month, said: “More focus will be placed on the safety of our games and those deemed too tiring may be toned down.”