Teachers’ union: “Most schools are already banning the use of cell phones.”
Point out, “Extreme content regulation is needed, come up with necessary policies.”
While the British government has issued guidelines for ‘banning the use of mobile phones’ in schools across the country, it is being pointed out that this is not a fundamental solution.
According to the British Independent on the 19th (local time), these guidelines can be applied at the discretion of individual school principals. This guideline suggests a total of four methods, including a rule prohibiting bringing cell phones into school.
Announcing the guidelines, UK Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said, “Schools are a place of learning for children and mobile phones are an unwanted distraction.”
Authorities said banning mobile phones would help children and young people spend more time being active and socializing with their peers, which would be good for their mental health.
“It will provide clarity and consistency for teachers,” Minister Keegan said in his preface, adding, “There is significant variation in the way different schools deal with mobile phone use.”
According to the latest official data from the UK government, 29% of middle school students responded that they ‘used their mobile phone when they should not have used it’.
On the other hand, Geoff Barton, secretary-general of the University Leaders Association, pointed out that ‘compulsive cell phone use’ does not occur at school, but outside of school.
The teachers’ union pointed out that most schools already ban the use of cell phones during class hours and that this measure is “a policy for a non-problem.”
The Independent also reported that there are calls to regulate extreme content posted on social media. Even if the school bans cell phone use, students can still be negatively influenced by social media.
According to a Guardian report in December last year, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was considering restricting access to social media for under-16s to protect them from online harm.
Previously, in the UK, the Online Safety Act was passed by the National Assembly in September 2023. The goal is to protect youth from harmful content online. If a company does not comply with the law, Ofcom, the UK’s integrated broadcasting regulator, can impose a fine of up to 18 million pounds (about 30.4 billion won), or 10% of annual revenue.
According to Ofcom, the draft code of practice for implementing the law is expected to be finalized within the year.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.