Citing alarming findings from the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment revealing that 80 percent of 15-year-old students are distracted by smartphone use during class, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has officially proposed to ban electronic gadgets during school hours.
The guidelines shall apply to learners from kindergarten to senior high school in both public and private basic education institutions. Teachers are likewise prohibited from using mobile devices and electronic gadgets during class hours, according to the senator. “Aside from decrease in learners’ academic performance, access to such devices seems likely to mediate involvement in cyberbullying that is why the use of mobile devices and other electronic gadgets must be restricted, especially during class hours,” Gatchalian stated.
Mobile devices and electronic gadgets can be used for educational purposes like classroom presentations and activities, health-related needs for students with specific conditions, and in managing emergencies or perceived threats.Gatchalian noted that this legislative push aligns with the findings of the 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report by UNESCO, which advocates for stricter regulation of mobile phone use in educational settings.