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Mobile phone in schools

The mobile phone culture has crept deeply in our country off late. No doubt, it is one of the most essential tool in todaysscenario and comes handy at many times. But when the misuses outpars the uses, those things prove to be a menace.

Cellphones have become food for the youngsters. About 80% profiles on social networking site, Orkut, have youngstersmentioning mobiles in five things I cant live without category. And majority are the people in the teens.

I agree and resonate my voice with their opinion about its necessity. But when it comes to the question of schools, I dontfind any reason for children to carry it with them. It is proving to be a threat on the primary education provided in Indianschools as there are a lot of cases where students disturb the decorum of the classes. Taking avoidable calls betweenclasses, hearing music when the lecture is on, playing games beneath their desks, sending SMSes, clicking obscene

photographs and, above all, the various MMS cases.

But a parliamentary panel yesterday recommended a ban on carrying of mobile phones by students to schools and byteachers to classrooms. Finally, the sense seemed to prevail and this step is taken. One would argue that awarenesscomes from within, and from ones family, so there is no point forcing such decisions. But when the situation has gone outof control, with parents themselves insisting their wards to carry the instrument, something needed to be done. I dont saydo not give cellphones to the children, but atleast it should not be brought to the classrooms. It also discriminates betweenthe students on the financial status basis, which could prove to be harmful for a childs psychology in the long run.

The Government has ordered proper functioning and usage of landlines in the school campuses, so that the emergencysituations can be faced efficiently. I further insist there should be no charges for the calls made to parents from thelandlines. Once this menace is outcasted from the school culture and environment, the education system might returnback on the road of

EliasFeb 27 2009Bombay, India

mobile phones for kids in general is a waste of time, but to allow them to use them during lessons with no punishment isdreadful.Wish they'd make this policy in all schools!

CraigFeb 27 2009

Los Angeles, United States

I think it's about time, aside from the fact I don't see why a kid needs a cel l phone before they can drive, and even then it'sdebatable...either way they need to be banned - or at least forced to be TURNED OFF...not on vibrate..cause even thatcan be heard. No school kid needs a cell phone that desperately.

OliviaFeb 27 2009Sydney, Australia

My kid's school doesn't allow phones to be on during school hours. If a student's cell-phone rings, the teacher usuallyanswers it, and scolds whoever called them (if it's a kid). It's a great way to embarrass the student.

Mandira GuptaFeb 27 2009

Kolkata, India

Cell phones should be totally banned in schools is a very common topic for discussion nowadays. But if we take intoconsideration the present scenario in any country and review the entire situation keeping in mind the natural perspectivesof the parents and the school administration then we can easily come to a decision that at some point it has becomeessential for a student to carry the cell phone to school as most of the students have a very hectic schedule throughoutthe day especially in the metros. Many students leave their home early in the morning and return back late in the eveningbut the mobile help their parents to keep in touch with them. The best way out is to adopt a policy by the school which willbe satisfactory to the parents and the school administration. This administrative policy should be formulated by the schooladministrative body which can be easily adopted by the students in their school. Each school can develop its own policy ora forum can be formed to develop the policies related to cell phones which can be adopted by the schools.

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OscarFeb 28 2009Oaxaca, United States

My wife and I are both teachers, it is incredible that 9-10 year old kids are carrying cellphones. The want to play games,take videos of classmates, and listen to music in class..They also put test answers, etc in their phones.

My wife works at an elementary school, the phones have been strictly prohibited..Their are parents who want a way tocontact their children (after school), no problem..The kids and teachers have to turn in their cellphones to the school officebefore entering class..After school, on the way out, they pick them up.

If parents have an emergency during school hours, they call the school, not their kid, and vice versa.

If a student is caught with a cellphone which was not turned into the office, it is confiscated until the parents make anappointment with the director and retrieve it in person.

Mandira GuptaFeb 28 2009Kolkata, India

Yes, I agree with you Oscar that this is the best way to stop the misuse of mobile phones in schools. I am also a schoolteacher and a part of the administrative staff in the school. We have also adopted the same method to stop the misuse ofmobile phones in the school. This rule is acceptable and convinient for both the parties that is the parents and the theschool.

Rajagopalan SFeb 28 2009Trichy, India

I am living in the US since last seven years and I have two boys. The elder one 19 is in College and I have provided him acell phone on a shared family plan connection, and the younger in his tenth grade has not gotten one yet.

Many parents are adamant about having their children of all ages to take phones with them in case of an emergency. Buteducators have found the mobile devices are often used for sneaky or social reasons, not just to communicate with Momand Dad in a pinch.

The potential for cheating, for instance, has increased with phones text messaging and picture-taking capabilities.

Schools worry not only about cheating, but also about photos taken in locker rooms and bathrooms, disruptive classroomcalls and other bad behavior. Most confiscate the devices for the day, though if there are repeat problems parent-teacherconferences are set up.

I would state the onus rests with the parents to keep a check on the way their children use their cel l phones.

ARVIND K.PANDEYMar 3 2009PRAYAG, India

Its strange that kids have struck chord with fatal attractions in early part of their lives!!

UshaMar 8 2009Chennai, India

Mobile phones are an evil as far as students are concerned. Leave alone schools, even some professional institutions inKarnataka have banned the same in the campus. These devices have a huge negative impact on the concentration of thestudents. Educational institutions are places where parents send their wards to acquire knowledge, and if their children donot communicate with their parents during these few hours, then I do not think that anything huge will be lost. It would dowell for parents to remember that they too went to schools and colleges - sans the mobile.Last but not the least, how many of these mobile weilding kids and teens use the same to talk to mom and dad??? andthat too how many times !!!!