On Monday, the Directorate of Elementary and Secondary Education Khyber Pakhtunkhwa issued a formal notification prohibiting the use of mobile phones within classrooms.
As per the notification, district-level education officers have been instructed to rigorously enforce a ban on cell phone usage among teaching staff, non-teaching staff, and students throughout school hours. The directive highlights concerns regarding the detrimental impact of phone usage on students’ academic performance.
Specifically, the directive underscores that mobile phones have the potential to interrupt the learning process and divert students’ attention away from their studies.
Educational institution heads were instructed to collect mobile phones from staff members at the beginning of the school day, to be returned after school hours. The notification also emphasized that in emergencies, employees could utilize the institution head’s landline or telephone.
Additionally, it explicitly stated that no photographs or videos should be taken within school premises without prior authorization from the competent authority. The directive specifies that staff members may only utilize their mobile phones during designated breaks or outside of class hours.
This initiative by the KP government underscores increasing apprehensions regarding the potential adverse impacts of excessive mobile phone usage on academic achievement and the general welfare of students.