Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The United Kingdom issued guidance on the 18th to support schools to completely ban students from using mobile phones in school. People in the British education community welcomed this, believing that this policy will improve students' learning efficiency and improve students' performance in school.
According to the British "Daily Mail" reported on the same day, according to the guidance, schools can ban students from using mobile phones at any time and place in school.
Pedestrians walk on London Bridge in England on January 28. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Ying Schools can choose one of the following four methods to ban mobile phones: it is forbidden to bring mobile phones to school; Give your phone to the teacher when you arrive at school; Lock your mobile phone to the designated place when you arrive at school; Students can take care of their own phones, but they must ensure that they do not use them at any time.
Teachers should also not use their phones in front of students unless they are required by the job, the guidance says. At the same time, parents should also be actively involved in it, and if they want to contact the student, they can do so through the school office instead of calling the student directly.
Previously, schools in the UK were free to decide whether to allow students to use mobile phones, and many schools have banned the use of mobile phones during class, but allowed them during recess or lunch breaks, the UK** said.
British Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said schools are places of learning and that mobile phones can cause unnecessary distractions, at least in the classroom. She hopes that these guidelines will help teachers improve student performance and allow teachers to concentrate on teaching.
Visitors experience mobile games at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, February 27, 2023. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Meng Dingbo According to Ofcom, 97% of children in the UK have their own mobile phones by the age of 12.
UNESCO's 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report, released last July, expressed concern about the excessive use of mobile devices such as smartphones in educational institutions. The report cites data from international assessments, including the Programme for International Student Aptitude Assessment, to say there is a negative link between excessive use of communication technology and student achievement.
Other studies have found that psychological problems such as anxiety, depression and low self-esteem in children are associated with mobile phone use. In addition, mobile phones can be a tool for bullying and sexual harassment in schools, exposing children to unhealthy content.
British Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Michelle Donlan said on the evening of the 17th that the digital world offers great opportunities for growing children, but these opportunities should not come at the expense of their well-being or education. He hopes that this new guidance will provide further support to parents and educators. (Jing Jing).