Two educationists have stirred controversy on the issue of whether mobile phones should be used in Senior High Schools or not.
Whilst the Director-General of Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA), Prof. Michael Boakye-Yiadom, believed that times had changed and the blanket ban on mobile phones should be lifted because technology was driving the world now.
Prof. Michael Boakye-Yiadom
However, the Headmaster of Fomena T.I Amass, Mr. Usman Yaw Baidoo, dismissed the argument that the use of mobile phones in schools could distract students from their prime goal of studying.
The two made the observations during a panel discussion at the inaugural public lecture series organised by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Education.
The maiden lecture was on the theme: “ What the Double Track System Taught Ghana About Scale Learning."
Sharing his opinion on the use of technology to drive innovation, Prof. Boakye-Yiadom stressed that it was a backward tendency for students to be restricted from using smartphones in a world that was dominated by technology.
Rather, he maintained that students should be given the requisite education on how to use the smartphones responsibly on the campus of Senior High Schools.
He noted that even adults, during discussions of serious issues at meetings, were seen fidgeting with their mobile phones.
Mr. UsmanYaw Baidoo
"My point is that let's educate the students to understand the irresponsible use of these gadgets will not help you and they will embrace it and internalise it. But the blanket policy with no education -you can't use it. For me, it doesn't help the growth and development of these students," he added.
According to him, there was the urgent need for holistic structures to be put in place by policy makers in education to allow mobile phones to be efficiently used by students.
However, Mr. Baidoo was of the belief that opening the floodgates for smartphones to be used in second-cycle institutions would be suicidal for the country.
He said even teachers find it hard to use it responsibly, citing several examples of teachers’ irresponsible use of mobile phones that had caused opprobrium in the country.
He said any attempt to allow students to use smartphones would expose the classroom environment to destructive tendencies.
"In my school, the students have received tablets. it has not been easy at all. You will go to class and you will see earpieces in their ears," he added
Wading into the ongoing debate, other panel members called for an urgent need for holistic structures to be put in place by policy makers in education to allow mobile phones to be efficiently used by students.