Should mobile phones be allowed in schools?
THE world over, there is a raging debate on whether secondary school students should be allowed to carry cellular phones in schools.
By Carol Natukunda
THE world over, there is a raging debate on whether secondary school students should be allowed to carry cellular phones in schools.
In the US, Mary Flowers, an Illinois state representative, who a decade ago campaigned for the ban of mobile phones in schools, now wants them re-introduced. She argues that changing times demand new policies and allowing students to carry cellular phones in schools would be beneficial to both parents and students.
Most students agree with Flower’s argument that like adults communication is essential to students in this modern world.
“Unlike our parents who didn’t have mobile phones, this is a new era. Everybody knows that we can’t stay in a cocoon of a school without these things to help out,†argues Martin Nsubuga, student at Kithende College School.
They say schools are ignoring important safety issues and the fact that parents, especially those who live far want to keep in touch with their children by mobile phones in case of nay emergencies. But the teachers have yet insisted that banning mobile phones is the best approach to managing the student’s discipline in both their academics and behavioural upbringing.
The students also argue that cellular phones can be used to notify authorities of an emergency at school when regular school phones are not immediately available or are unsafe to use.
While Yusuf Nsubuga, the commissioner for secondary education, says there is no policy against the use of mobile phones in schools, it remains effective banned by the school authorities. Like most headteachers, Nsubuga says indiscipline is one of the reasons mobile phones are disallowed among students in schools.
“In my view, a student can only be disciplined when there are no such interruptions caused by phone ringing instead of concentrating on their books,†he says.
But what is the big deal about students using mobile phones outside the classroom? School administrators and parents alike say there is more than meets the eye on why mobile phones should not be used in schools.
The phone indiscipline, they argue, goes beyond the mere destruction caused by the ring tone.
George William Ssemivule, the headteacher King’s College Budo says mobiles phones open students to a lot of mischief.
“A student could coordinate any evil act like strikes or unnecessary movements, such as escaping from school. This would be quite difficult for the administration to know,†he says.
In the US Jim Bell, the Dean of Health and Human Services at the Linn-Benton Community College in Albania says cellular phones, particularly those with text-messaging capabilities, might be used for cheating on tests.
He also says that cell phones with imbedded cameras could be misused by chicky students to invade privacy of others in locker room or restrooms.
Sr. Justin Paul, the headteacher Mt. St. Mary’s College Namanguga, says cell phones are disruptive and a student can only be focused on his or her studies without one.
Dr J.C. Muyingo the headteacher, Uganda Martyrs Secondary School, Namugongo, says mobile phones disrupt the learning process yet one of the reasons why parents take their children to school is to avoid unneccesary disruptions in the studies of their children.
Like Herbert Walugembe, the deputy headteacher Katikamu SDA, Muyingo says a mobile phone is not only expensive to maintain, but would create indiscipline.
“Students would be more tempted to communicate, not necessarily with their parents, but also wrong characters like their boy or girlfriends, people who are not useful during their study time,†says Muyingo adding that students with genuine problems usually have access to the school telephone.
Fagil Mandy, the director FAMECON, an education consultancy firm, says mobile phones were an additional expense to the parent, the school and the student.
“For a student, handling it under the tight school programme is not easy. You go to school to learn. For the school, it becomes a burden to control the students,†he says.
Mandy further argues that children in a boarding schools must learn to be on their own and parents who can’t do without talking to your children should keep them in day schools.
Ntende Moss, a parent and marketing manager Excel Insurance Company says mobile phones were a risk as they expose children to mischievous persons outside the school.
John Mwongera, an export sales manager with Mukwano Group of companies says, “My 18-year-old daughter has been pestering me for one. But I don’t support that. Students with mobiles can’t read. At midnight, they are flashing you. They would never give you rest,†he says.
Another parent also points out that we are living in an information world with several several schools allowing students access the Internet which can be used to send messages.
She called on school administrators to develop foolproof disciplinary policies.
Ends
THE world over, there is a raging debate on whether secondary school students should be allowed to carry cellular phones in schools.
In the US, Mary Flowers, an Illinois state representative, who a decade ago campaigned for the ban of mobile phones in schools, now wants them re-introduced. She argues that changing times demand new policies and allowing students to carry cellular phones in schools would be beneficial to both parents and students.
Most students agree with Flower’s argument that like adults communication is essential to students in this modern world.
“Unlike our parents who didn’t have mobile phones, this is a new era. Everybody knows that we can’t stay in a cocoon of a school without these things to help out,†argues Martin Nsubuga, student at Kithende College School.
They say schools are ignoring important safety issues and the fact that parents, especially those who live far want to keep in touch with their children by mobile phones in case of nay emergencies. But the teachers have yet insisted that banning mobile phones is the best approach to managing the student’s discipline in both their academics and behavioural upbringing.
The students also argue that cellular phones can be used to notify authorities of an emergency at school when regular school phones are not immediately available or are unsafe to use.
While Yusuf Nsubuga, the commissioner for secondary education, says there is no policy against the use of mobile phones in schools, it remains effective banned by the school authorities. Like most headteachers, Nsubuga says indiscipline is one of the reasons mobile phones are disallowed among students in schools.
“In my view, a student can only be disciplined when there are no such interruptions caused by phone ringing instead of concentrating on their books,†he says.
But what is the big deal about students using mobile phones outside the classroom? School administrators and parents alike say there is more than meets the eye on why mobile phones should not be used in schools.
The phone indiscipline, they argue, goes beyond the mere destruction caused by the ring tone.
George William Ssemivule, the headteacher King’s College Budo says mobiles phones open students to a lot of mischief.
“A student could coordinate any evil act like strikes or unnecessary movements, such as escaping from school. This would be quite difficult for the administration to know,†he says.
In the US Jim Bell, the Dean of Health and Human Services at the Linn-Benton Community College in Albania says cellular phones, particularly those with text-messaging capabilities, might be used for cheating on tests.
He also says that cell phones with imbedded cameras could be misused by chicky students to invade privacy of others in locker room or restrooms.
Sr. Justin Paul, the headteacher Mt. St. Mary’s College Namanguga, says cell phones are disruptive and a student can only be focused on his or her studies without one.
Dr J.C. Muyingo the headteacher, Uganda Martyrs Secondary School, Namugongo, says mobile phones disrupt the learning process yet one of the reasons why parents take their children to school is to avoid unneccesary disruptions in the studies of their children.
Like Herbert Walugembe, the deputy headteacher Katikamu SDA, Muyingo says a mobile phone is not only expensive to maintain, but would create indiscipline.
“Students would be more tempted to communicate, not necessarily with their parents, but also wrong characters like their boy or girlfriends, people who are not useful during their study time,†says Muyingo adding that students with genuine problems usually have access to the school telephone.
Fagil Mandy, the director FAMECON, an education consultancy firm, says mobile phones were an additional expense to the parent, the school and the student.
“For a student, handling it under the tight school programme is not easy. You go to school to learn. For the school, it becomes a burden to control the students,†he says.
Mandy further argues that children in a boarding schools must learn to be on their own and parents who can’t do without talking to your children should keep them in day schools.
Ntende Moss, a parent and marketing manager Excel Insurance Company says mobile phones were a risk as they expose children to mischievous persons outside the school.
John Mwongera, an export sales manager with Mukwano Group of companies says, “My 18-year-old daughter has been pestering me for one. But I don’t support that. Students with mobiles can’t read. At midnight, they are flashing you. They would never give you rest,†he says.
Another parent also points out that we are living in an information world with several several schools allowing students access the Internet which can be used to send messages.
She called on school administrators to develop foolproof disciplinary policies.
Ends