A little while ago, a story emerged from the USA about a young girl whose mother, concerned about her excessive phone use, hid her mobile phone.
Despite this, the woman noticed her daughter was still accessing social media and communicating online just as before. Eventually, she discovered that the girl had bypassed the restriction by using their… “smart” fridge at home.
I was reminded of this story as the new school year is about to begin. Just before the last school year ended, there was a discussion about banning mobile phones in schools. However, due to a lack of coordination, the issue was shelved.
And it remains on hold to this day, meaning the situation is still unclear, and each school is essentially following its own rules based on its administration. In some schools, students use their phones even during lessons, while in others, they’re forbidden from taking them out of their bags during their entire time on school grounds. There are also schools where phones are allowed only during breaks.
The debate over the best policy has sparked considerable discussion. Those in favour of a ban believe the measure would improve academic performance, as students would not be distracted and would be more engaged during lessons. Additionally, they argue that banning phones would reduce problematic behaviours, such as bullying through photos and videos.
On the other hand, those opposed to the ban argue that mobile phones are now an integral part of children’s social interactions and can serve as useful educational tools.
The issue is that, regardless of whether phones are banned or not, students will find ways to stay online. That’s where their world is, and they’re always one step ahead of those imposing the restrictions.
If they can’t have their phone with them, they’ll get a smartwatch, a smart calculator, or some other device with internet connectivity. They’ll break into Wi-Fi networks from neighbouring homes or shops and share the signal through hotspots.
I’m not saying that nothing should be done about phones in schools, but even if bans are implemented, can teachers really control students effectively?
Just imagine the teacher scrolling through their phone, using their middle finger, squinting from a distance, possibly due to presbyopia, while the student navigates their device with both hands and closed eyes.
We can all picture who really has the upper hand here, can’t we?
