USE OF MOBILE PHONES BY STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS

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USE OF MOBILE PHONES BY STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS: .

12.

Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Acting Minister for Education if he will give the rationale for allowing school

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students to carry mobile phones for use in schools.

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Ministry does not prohibit the use of mobile phones in school premises. Schools decide on this for themselves. Those schools which allow for mobile phones set their own rules regarding its use, for instance, to ensure that classes are not disrupted.

Where schools allow students to bring mobile phones to school, they are encouraged to use them in a responsible manner and observe proper etiquette when doing so.

Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong: Sir, recent news reports revealed that at least 15 mobile phones were reported lost or stolen daily. By allowing students to carry mobile phones in school, are we not adding to the number of handphone thefts and robberies happening amongst school students?

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam: That is a curious argument. The same can be made about watches or many other items of personal belonging. We do not intend to take a draconian approach to solving these problems by preventing students from wearing watches or wearing clothes to schools.

Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong: Sir, does the Minister know that many school students are also very obsessed with the latest handphone models and constantly bug their parents to buy them these expensive latest new MMS models with cameras and whatever? It may not be much for a rich family to buy, but for children from lower-income families, going to school without a mobile phone is actually like being considered an outcast among their peer group, not accepted into the group, and not being kept in the loop of what is happening because they do not

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receive messages from their friends through the mobile phone.

I am wondering whether the Ministry will look into subsidising the students for carrying handphones, by allowing for more students to carry handphones.

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam: That will, of course, add to the number of thefts of mobile phones, by Mr Chia's argument, which is not something we desire. His observation on students being obsessed with latest brands, like others in society, is a useful one. It is basically a social phenomenon. It makes for a good talk during CME lessons in schools, but it is not something which can be eliminated. This is in the nature of a society which has social aspirations. It sometimes takes the form of relatively petty things. These are things that are useful to talk to students about, but they are not really policy issues.

Assoc. Prof. Ngiam Tee Liang: Sir, this idea of allowing a certain article to be brought into school is one thing, but allowing its use is another. And I think this question is about students who are allowed to carry mobile phones and they use them in school. This is where it can affect discipline in the school. I remember that MOE was very clear that we want to have a level playing field for kids coming from rich backgrounds as well as from poorer backgrounds. Anything that will accentuate the differences and lead to an inferior complex should be discouraged. So, has there been any attempt in schools to ensure that as far as possible we do not have that differential? Wearing school uniforms is one way in which you make sure everybody comes equal, and you do not come in with the latest branded clothes and things like that. I think it also applies to school shoes. You cannot come in with Nike shoes or things like that.

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Mr Speaker: Prof. Ngiam, no Nike shoes or other things, let us stick to mobile phones.

Assoc. Prof. Ngiam Tee Liang: Just an example where MOE is conscientious. So, in this regard on the use of mobile phones, is there the same consideration?

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam: I would rather leave this matter to schools. Some schools, in fact, do prohibit mobile phones; most schools do not. Those that do not, in fact, have guidelines on how students should use it. These are matters which schools really have to decide for themselves. As a philosophical matter, I do not think we should take the approach of standardising everything, whether it is shoes, bags or the things they hang on to their bags. It is really something that you cannot prevent altogether. But it is important for students to be educated on how to use a mobile phone without disrupting the school or educational activities. Certainly, because a mobile phone is not being used in education, no child is disadvantaged for not having one.

Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong: Mr Speaker, Sir, why can the MOE not issue standardised guidelines for all principals and all schools to follow, instead of having the individual principals in individual schools to decide whether to allow or not to allow? It should have a standardised policy where education is concerned.

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam: If this was a matter of some gravity, for instance, if the instrument or technology in question is used to inflict pain on others or used for criminal purposes, we might take a serious view of the matter. But, in this instance, it is really something like many other issues that a school is really responsible for. The principal is responsible for dictating rules and guidelines for a whole host of things. It is

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really not for the Ministry to get into these matters.

Mr Speaker: Mr Steve Chia, I suggest you get on to your next question.