Mobile phone use in schools banned

LAHORE:

Punjab government has banned the use of mobile phones by teachers and students in schools from Tuesday.

All district education officers have been instructed to strictly enforce the ban in both government and private schools.

The government has also instructed the teachers to wear coat, proper shoes and watch during school hours.

According to sources in the Punjab School Education Department, complains had been received about wastage of time because of the schoolteachers' habit of frequently using mobile phones.

A senior official said use of the phones to record videos and share them on social media by students and teachers was causing more serious problems.

The government sent 20 instructions to the chief executive officers of all district education authorities.

The official said the guidelines had been prepared by the education ministry to ensure discipline and welfare of students.

He said all teachers would deposit their phones in the administration offices.

The phones will be confiscated and departmental action taken in case of violation of the ban.

The teachers and students were instructed to display school badges and cards.

As per the instructions, the students will wear navy blue sweaters and those without the uniform will not be allowed to enter the schools.

The administrations of all schools will display the timetable.

Class representatives will be selected to ensure discipline. The schools were also instructed to display patriotic slogans.

Students will use registers for writing in classes and the teachers should write the number of students present and on a corner of the blackboard.

Commenting on the instructions, Punjab Teachers Union Secretary General Rana Liaqat Ali said the schoolteachers across the province already avoided the use phones and the ban was a good step.