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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Teacher-solon finds proposed total phone ban in classrooms 'too strict'

Teacher-solon finds proposed total phone ban in classrooms 'too strict'

Published Jun 11, 2024 08:45 am

At A Glance

  • ACT-Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro described the proposed total ban on the use of mobile phones and other electronic gadgets in classrooms as "too strict".
  • She was reacting to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian's Senate Bill (SB) No.2706 or the proposed Electronic Gadget-Free Schools Act

charlesdeluvio-Dilfan21P8o-unsplash.jpg(Unsplash)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Too strict. 

That's how ACT-Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro described the proposed total ban on the use of mobile phones and other electronic gadgets in classrooms. 

"Well, parang masyadong, masyado naman yung, ano nun, higpit, no? Kailangan din natin pag-aralan muna mabuti. Yung advantage and disadvantage," Castro, a former teacher, said in a chance interview Tuesday, June 11. 

(Well, it seems to be too strict, isn't it? We need to thoroughly study it first. The advantages and disadvantages.) 

The House deputy minority leader was reacting to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian's Senate Bill (SB) No.2706 or the proposed Electronic Gadget-Free Schools Act. It seeks to mandate the Department of Education (DepEd) to issue guidelines on the prohibition of electronic gadgets during class hours. 

Apparently, Gatchalian's main motivations for pursuing the measure is to improve the learners' academic performance and discourage cyberbullying. 

But Castro appeared to be more amenable to regulating phones and gadgets in the classroom, as opposed to a total ban. 

She cited these specific scenarios as moments wherein students or learners shouldn't be using their phones: during class lecture, laboratory work, and reading. 

"Pwede siguro, ano, no, at the start of the class, kumpiskahin yung mga, ano, no, yung mga cellphone, itago at i-keep safe ng teacher at the end of the classes, pwede siyang ibalik," argued the Makabayan solon. 

(What could be done is, the cellphones could be confiscated at the beginning of the class for safekeeping by the teacher, and then returned at the end of the classes.) 

But what about the teachers themselves? Castro said they should always have their phones with them, especially in cases of emergencies. 

"For emergency purpose, dapat may cellphone din ang teacher. Kasi pag may nangyaring emergency sa bata, no, or may nangyaring emergency sa parents, or whatever, o sa school, kailangan ma-inform din yung mga estudyante," she explained. 

(Teachers should have their cellphones. There could be an emergency with the kids, or emergency with the parents, or whatever, with the school, and the students also need to be informed.) 

Castro also acknowledged that some students use mobile phones as their default "notebook". 

"Yung iba, hindi na nag-gumagamit ng notebook, eh. Minsan, kinukopya na lang nila or pinipicture na nila sa blackboard. So, baka mas efficient sa mga bata yung gano'n, kaya bayaan lang din natin," she explained. 

(Others don't even use notebooks anymore. Sometimes they just copy it or take a picture of the blackboard. So maybe that's more efficient for the children, so let's just leave it at that.)

Related Tags

Sherwin Gatchalian mobile phone FRANCE CASTRO cellphone
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