The Ministry of Education has committed to taking strong sanctions against students at all levels; nursery, primary and high school, that do carry cellphones at school premises as the devices have been known to deter students from concentrating on the academics.
The move was announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Eugène Mutimura on June 12th 2018 in a news conference in Kigali.
The minister said that inspections have indicated that when students use cellphones at schools affects their concentration on studies.
Despite ruining their concentration, Mutimura said cellphones attract unnecessary attention and interactions that end up leading students into using drugs and unwanted pregnancies.
The decision had been announced two years ago, but later allowed their usage on account of using them for research purposes, according to the State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Dr. Isaac Munyakazi.
Munyakazi says that students will continue to access them while at home, but urges parents on stringent control.
“At home, parents should also control them and make sure that they are using them for research purposes. If such restrictions are not adhered to, children would be negatively impacted, compromising their studies,” he said in an interview with IGIHE on Thursday.
{{Some school head teachers back the move}}
Lycée de Kigali head teacher, Martin Masabo says that as the government has distributed computers in all schools, therefore no student should possess a phone at school.
“The government distributed computers in all primary and secondary schools, ICT facilities are available. In a case a student needs communication, the school management facilitates them to talk to parents. Some schools also have public cellphones,” he said.
However, Masabo says banning cellphones at school premises should be backed by individual student commitment.
The Head Teacher of Groupe Scholaire Kagugu Catholique, Jean Baptiste Habanabashaka okays the decision on one side, but urges that when telephones are well used, they bring good impact.
“I have some students at my school with mobile telephones which we keep for them. Because the school has internet, students use the phones in research. A cellphone is like a computer, it should be used at school only when conducting research,” he explained.
“For the ministry to completely ban use of phones at school is not a fair decision. They would allow them for research purposes. I think, there would be no problem,” he said suggesting that this would benefit schools which have no computers.
{{No research constraints}}
According to Minister Mutimura, banning cellphones will not affect research interests as all schools, primary and secondary have computers.
“Currently, a total of 950, three quarters of all primary schools around the country have computers with 100 each. In High Schools, 670 schools have computers. In total 67,000 students’ computers were distributed and ICT teachers, too have their computers,” he said.
For Munyakazi, some schools which do not have computers have other ICT materials they use in teaching ICT subject.
{{Parents back the decision}}
Parents support the decision saying it is in line with promoting the quality of education.
Esperance Kabanyana from Kicukiro District in the City of Kigali says that students should differentiate study times from luxury.
“This is a good decision. With students possessing cellphones at school, they spend much time in unproductive dialogues on social networks like WhatsApp and Facebook. Imagine a student seated in class texting and sending pictures, it affects their concentration and quality of learning,” she said.
Another parent Jean Bosco Nsanzamahoro says since internet has reached all corners of the country, phones should be permitted but with stringent regulations at schools.
“My son uses a cellphone searching for knowledge. It has helped him in learning many new aspects and is now performing better. But for some students that use them in other non academic issues should attract school regulation” he considers.
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