SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian filed a bill before the Upper chamber of Congress, which prohibits kindergarten to senior high school students and teachers in all public and private schools from using their mobile phones and gadgets during class hours.
Under Senate Bill 2706, it proposes that the Electronic Gadget-Free Schools Act showed the erstwhile negative effects of excessive use of mobile devices to learners’ performance.
The said measure seeks to prohibit all basic education students from using their phones and other electronic gadgets within the school premises during their class hours.
It said that the school premises under SB 2706 include classrooms, laboratories, bathrooms, gymnasiums, canteens or cafeterias, school club rooms, swimming pools, teachers’ lounges, and school offices.
This means that the teachers, and faculty members are likewise barred from using gadgets especially during their designated teaching hours in classrooms.
It stated that the use of gadgets is only allowed for “learning-related exceptions, health and well-being related exceptions, and exceptions related to managing risks.”
The SB 2706 also mandates the Department of Education to formulate and promulgate guidelines on the prohibition of the use of mobile devices and electronic gadgets while ensuring that private education institutions provide the same guidelines.
Follow republicasia on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to get the latest.
