FOR TEACHERS
Whether you have been to twenty festivals or this is your first, Telunas festivals are unique events with specialised information for teachers for this event. It is essential that all chaperones are up to speed on the requirements for this event for a successful experience for all.
PLANNING
Get organised early
There are a few more elements to organise with your students prior to the event so getting your group together as early as possible will assist you in your planning.
Passport and visas
It is essential that all visiting schools carefully check their students' travel requirements to avoid any issues clearing customs in both Singapore and Indonesia. Please refer to the detailed information regarding visas found on the ABOUT page on this Telunas site, or under the event page on www.ista.co.uk
Transportation
LOCAL SCHOOLS
Local Singapore-based schools are required to book their own buses to/from the ferry terminal. Alternatively, you may wish to ask parents to drop their children off at the ferry terminal in the morning of departures. If so, please ensure that you ask parents to meet you there earlier than our requested time to accommodate for any issues that may arise with traffic, sleeping in, forgotten passports at home or other unforeseen circumstances.
Harbourfront Ferry Terminal
1 Maritime Square, Singapore, 099253
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Our ferry departure time is 10:00am. We need to be at the ferry terminal by 8:30 am to clear customs. Please make sure you have your student's ferry tickets with you (provided by the Rep) and pass through immigration as a school group.
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Tickets will be given to local schools in advance of the event.
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Our arrival time back in Singapore is approximately 4:00pm. I would recommend that you book your pick-up bus to arrive between 4:00 and 4:30pm. Alternatively, you may wish to ask parents to meet you for pick up from the ferry terminal directly.
VISITING OVERSEAS SCHOOLS
ISTA will book your local Singapore transportation.
FOR BOTH
Teachers should plan to meet with the Rep the night before departure at the hotel to collect ferry tickets for your school group so there is time to check for errors. The Rep will also meet you in the morning at breakfast and travel with you and your students to the check-in area at the ferry terminal.
Workshop selections
Students will have the opportunity to select both of their workshops. We do our best to meet the requests of all students, but some students will be placed in their second or third choices and should be prepared for this in advance.
Room buddy allocations
All students will be staying in dorm-style accommodation while at Telunas Beach Resort. Students will be asked to select 1 or 2 room buddies of the same gender to be placed with within the dorm. We mix students from different schools in the dorms.
Staying connected
Please note that while on the island of Telunas you may have infrequent cell reception and you will have NO access to wifi. Parents should be told not to expect to hear from students while they are away. You can share the phone numbers of the Telunas staff that will be shared with teachers to be used in cases of emergency only.
Indonesian SIM cards will not be available to purchase at the Telunas Beach Resort. Teachers should make arrangements for their own access to international data and phone plans in advance of the event.
SAFETY
Emergency contacts
Please note that while on the island of Telunas handphones may have infrequent cell reception and there will be no access to wifi. Parents should be told not to expect to hear from students while they are away. You can share the phone numbers of the Telunas staff below to be used in case of emergency. Some teachers at past festivals paid for data on while on Telunas. Some mobile phone providers provide data roaming options when travelling abroad that can be purchased in advance, however service was not 100% reliable on the island. Telunas Beach Resort can no longer offer SIM cards due to government restrictions.
Resort address
Telunas Beach Resort
Baloi Persero, Riau Islands Province 29442, Indonesia
Emergency contact numbers for during the festival
Emergency numbers of Telunas Staff, Nurse and ISTA Rep will be provided in advance of the event directly to teachers.
Immigration processes
At your last meeting, please review the Student Information page with students so they know what to expect to go through immigration at the ferry terminal as a large group. The Rep will be there to help you through the transfer process but it is helpful if students and teachers know what to expect.
Please note:
*The Indonesian government has been known to send schools and groups back if they make too much noise at immigration (especially in Indonesia). Please stress this requirement with students to act with reserve during these times.
*Students will need their passport (Singapore students will need their IC cards) to get through customs. They will need their passport only to leave the ferry terminal and will need the ferry ticket to get on the boat. At this point, teachers can decide whether to collect the passports and IC cards or leave them with students until they clear customs in Indonesia. Once they arrive in Indonesia, Telunas staff will take all passports to organize the return tickets. Singapore teachers will be responsible for holding their students IC cards for the weekend.
On-site nurse
We have hired a nurse to be on site for the festival. She is an Australian citizen and a registered nurse in Singapore. She will administer any prescription medications that your student's need. However, for her protection, the medications must be brought to her in its original box/container. This is very important so please stress this with your parents. We also require parents to complete an Authorisation to administer medication form (PDF link below) filled out by either the parent/guardian or doctor before the nurse can administer the medication during the trip. This form and the medication should come together in a Ziploc bag. Teachers will be responsible for this medication (as you are travelling with your students) until we reach the island.
Teacher first-aid
If something comes up like a rash, jelly fish sting, small cuts etc. the nurse will be there to help. However, in the past, we have found that the majority of issues are mosquito bites and small scratches. Thus, band aids/plasters and itch cream have been added to the packing list so that the nurse can focus on more critical needs. If schools want to carry small first aid kits, teachers can help us by dealing with smaller issues.
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We are asking that there be a maximum of three chaperones per school group.
It is highly recommended that at least one member of the visiting school chaperones from each school have life guarding qualifications as the event is located on a beach and students will be swimming during the event. Please consider this when selecting adults to accompany your group on this trip. Lifeguards are not provided by ISTA or Telunas Beach Resort.
Insurance and further medical information
As with all festivals, if you are travelling out of your home country you'll want to talk to your school about travel insurance and emergency coverage and what is required by your school. On Telunas island, we are 15-minutes by boat from the closest clinic. For more serious issues, students with higher medical needs would need to be brought to Batam, Indonesia (the entry ferry port) or back to Singapore.
Electronics
Please remind students that sand and water are enemies of electronics. All electronics are brought at owner's risk. Cameras are welcome. Students may choose to bring a phone to use as a camera. Computers, iPads and any gaming devices should be left behind for safe keeping.
AAuthorisation to adminster medication form
FORMS
Authorisation to administer medication for parents/doctor
ISTA student code of conduct