MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Point High School in Mossel Bay recently became cellphone-free after extending a policy banning all cellphones during school hours, effective from 3 September.
In a Facebook post sharing the news, the school wrote that the policy aims to strengthen academic focus, promote social interaction and protect the learners' mental health.
Several comments under the post praised the school's decision and urged other schools to do the same, while others argued that learners having their cellphones on them at school has it benefits.
Increase in cellphone ban policies
Point High is not the first to enact policies banning cellphones during school hours. Langenhoven Gymnasium in Oudtshoorn celebrated one year as a cellphone-free school on Monday 8 September.
On its Facebook page, the school wrote that its learners were socialising more during class and breaktimes.
"The impact of our no-cellphone policy is incredibly positive, and we look forward to many more years of our learners choosing to be present, engaged and connected," read the post.
South Africa has noted an increase in such policies, co-opted by movements such as Smartphone Free Childhood, a parent-led volunteer initiative.
The initiative encourages parents to create "low-tech and slow-tech childhoods, where smartphones and social media are thoughtfully delayed".
Additionally, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) issued a call for a global ban on smartphones in classrooms in 2023, citing distraction and cyberbullying as two main challenges to modern education.
Daily smartphone use
Most teenagers today are in possession of a cellphone - a study published by Stellenbosch University in February details how almost all the adolescents observed had cellphones and on average spend 197 minutes (three hours and 17 minutes) per day on their phones.
"Daily smartphone use increases with age, as teens in higher grades tend to spend more time on their devices per day," says the study's author, Alec Basson.
When it comes to using cellphones at schools, the researchers found that 93% of adolescents take their phones to school every day, 5% take their phones almost every day, and only 0.6% indicated that they never take a phone to school.
"The main motivation for this is the need to communicate with parents about after-school activities. Some schools also rely on mobile apps to share administrative information, making it difficult to implement blanket bans on phone use during school hours" says Basson.
"While the data indicates that many teachers use smartphones as part of teaching and learning activities, most of them believe that phone use in class should only be allowed with the teacher's permission."
Finding a balance
The Western Cape Department of Education (WCED) has acknowledged the prominence of technology among learners, but encourages schools to find a balance.
"The WCED does advocate for the use of technology in schools, and especially with the rise of AI, it is vital for preparing learners for the future. However, the use of mobile devices needs to be managed thoughtfully and responsibly in order to ensure the protection of our children," said the WCED's communications officer, Bronagh Hammond.
The decision to ban phones lies with the school, says the department, but a cellphone ban does not mean a ban on technology altogether, as classrooms often utilise interactive white boards as well as computers and tablets.
"It is essential that schools are aware of how to manage cellular phones and mobile devices so that learners have positive and safe experiences when using these devices.
"The learners also need to understand the implications of irresponsible use and need to be accountable for their behaviour."
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