Do you agree that gadgets such as cellphones should be banned inside schools?
That was one measure Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing in Congress, which he said aims to elevate academic performance and curb cyberbullying.
Senate Bill 2706, or the Electronic Gadget-Free Schools Act, urges the Department of Education (DepEd) to craft guidelines enforcing the ban on electronic devices during instructional hours.
Gatchalian emphasized the adverse effects of gadget use on students' educational achievements and their involvement in cyberbullying, prompting the need for restrictions within educational settings.
The bill targets students from kindergarten to senior high school across both public and private institutions, extending the prohibition to teachers as well.
While acknowledging the potential educational benefits of mobile devices, Gatchalian underscored their propensity to disrupt learning environments, particularly among younger students.
Citing data from the 2022 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), Gatchalian revealed that a significant majority of students aged 15 reported being distracted by smartphone usage in classrooms.
Moreover, distractions stemming from peers' cell phone usage also contribute to decreased academic performance.
PISA findings indicated a correlation between cell phone-related distractions and declines in mathematics, science, and reading scores, underscoring the urgency of mitigating gadget-induced disruptions in educational settings.
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