The Andhra Pradesh government has restricted the use of mobile phones in schools across the state. A circular was issued in this regard on Sunday, August 27, by Commissioner of School Education S Suresh Kumar, prohibiting students from bringing mobile phones into the classrooms, and restricting teachers from using them during class hours. The department has also prohibited the use of mobile phones by teachers in classrooms during teaching hours. The teachers have been directed to deposit their cell phones with the headmaster or headmistress (HM) before going to the classrooms. Any administrative tasks on mobile phones such as marking students’ attendance will have to be done before or after teaching hours.
The department said the restrictions have been imposed to ensure that there is no disruption to teaching. Officials said that the action has been taken in accordance with the Global Education Monitoring Report of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The 2023 edition of the report suggested that technology including smartphones must only be used in class when it supports learning outcomes.
The school education department had already asked the teachers to stop using mobile phones in the classroom but the orders were not being followed strictly, the circular said. “The mobile phone has emerged as the single electronic gadget that has been consuming class time of some teachers...It has been seen that many teachers take mobile phones into the classrooms during teaching hours for their personal use and not for any professional requirement. This diverts teaching time in the classroom to other purposes that are unproductive for the academic improvement of children,” the circular said.
Referring to a meeting chaired by state Education Minister Botsa Satyanarayana on August 3, the circular said, “The general consensus among teachers, union representatives and education experts was to restrict the use of mobile phones in the classrooms as the negative impact of mobile phones on learning outweighs its utility.”
Stating that there were concerns arising from smartphone use over the impact on students' academic performance, well-being, cyberbullying and classroom dynamics between teachers and students, the circular said that teachers will have to deposit their phones with the HM of the school before going to the classroom. “If a teacher intends to utilise a mobile phone for instructional purposes, its incorporation must be meticulously detailed in the lesson plan and should be approved in advance by the headmaster,” it said. The same applies to the use of mobile phones as internet hotspots as well. Teachers violating this rule will be given a warning, and will have to give an explanation to the Mandal and District Education Officers (MEO/DEO) on subsequent offences, the circular said.
Students will also have to keep their mobile phones in the staff room or with any employee of the school who can retain them during class hours, and the HM’s permission is needed to use them in an emergency. However, the use of government-supplied devices such as Smart TVs and tablets is allowed for educational purposes.
With IANS inputs