The Education Minister of Northern Ireland, Paul Givan, is set to issue new guidance to schools regarding the use of mobile phones. It is expected that the guidance will include restrictions on mobile phone use during the day, with phones not being allowed to be visible at any point, including during break and lunchtimes. The aim of this is to reduce student distraction during lessons. Although this guidance is not legally binding, it is expected that schools will adhere to it in order to create their own rules. Various schools in Northern Ireland already have policies that limit phone usage by pupils, such as by confiscating them if they are caught being used during class.
There are exceptions expected to be made for students who require phones for medical reasons. Additionally, it is anticipated that the guidance will advise post-primary pupils to hand their phones to staff at the start of the school day. Although the complete banning of mobile phones in post-primary schools is not thought to be appropriate, a policy of this nature is expected to be most suitable for primary schools.
While students will not be legally obliged to abide by the guidelines, the goal is to encourage a consistent approach across all schools. It is also significant to note that research has indicated the negative effects of smartphone and social media use on children and young people’s mental health, leading to increasing concerns in Northern Ireland regarding this issue.
Many secondary school pupils in Northern Ireland already follow some sort of structured regulation when it comes to their phone usage. At Lisneal College in Londonderry, pupils are required to hand their phones in to their form teacher at the start of the school day. The principal of the school noted the constant presence of smartphones can result in disruption to learning.
This guidance follows similar instances in other parts of the UK and Republic of Ireland which have advised schools to ban the use of mobile phones during the day. Engaging in a similar approach across all schools will provide consistency and promote a more productive learning environment with less distractions.
Ultimately, the focus of this advice is to ensure that students are not unduly distracted, and are instead able to focus on their lessons throughout the day
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