Russoft
Contributor
Actually PADI and others are members of the RSTC. "The World Recreational Scuba Training Council (WRSTC) is dedicated to the worldwide safety of the recreational diving public. As such, one of the WRSTC’s primary goals is the development of worldwide minimum training standards"
Below is part of the minimum standards for OW. If it is not being done, the minimum standards are not being met.
From RSTC OW Diver. http://wrstc.com/downloads/03 - Open Water Diver.pdf
Bob
What certified OW divers actually do, and what they are capable of doing, are two very different things. While quality of instruction is the low hanging fruit and easy to blame for being deficient (PADI bashing), ultimately it's up to the student to learn and take responsibility for his or her own life. Upon certification I was fully capable, at age 12, to plan and execute a dive. Whether I practiced those skills or not was my responsibility. It seems the diving community has something in common with the church going community: moral panic.