Bangalore schools bar mobile phones

Trust our educationists to miss the woods for the trees. The incident involving the Delhi students took place in the house of one of the protagonists and not on the school premises. What is needed is education and counselling, banning mobile phones will not solve the problem.

Bangalore schools bar mobile phones
The Times of India

Bangalore: Boarders or day scholars, or for that matter, the staff: all school campuses in Bangalore have latched on to a new catch phrase — no mobile phones.

With the 17-year-old student of a Delhi school capturing controversial MMS clips and then allegedly circulating them, schools in Bangalore have banned mobile sets on their campuses. While some had taken the step sometime ago, others are following suit now.

Principal of DPSSouth Bangalore Indira Anand Kothanath says: “Bags are being checked regularly to ensure students do not bring in handsets. Even the staff are discouraged from using their phones during school hours. Handsets, ‘objectionable’ compact discs and tapes are being confiscated. Internet is made accessible to a student only in the presence of a teacher.’’

Stricter rules and frequent inspections have become the norm in most schools. In Bishop Cotton Boys’ School, for instance: “Mobiles have been banned for all students. The staff have been told not to use their cellphones during school hours since that might result in suspension from service,’’ says the school’s counsellor Indrani Sudarshan. Even students with health problems have been barred from using mobile phones. There are landlines in offices and dormitories, and there are PCOs too in case of any emergency, Sudarshan adds.

Rules being rules, they stand for all, in spite of ‘special requests.’ Says Preetam Benjamin, principal of Indus International School: “Some foreign students had special requests for carrying the mobiles, but the school is very clear — one rule for all.’’

Parents are not complaining either. “I am glad that the schools have enforced the rule. We can call the school office whenever needed,’’ says a parent whose daughter studies at Sophia’s School.

MMS LESSON

Stricter rules, frequent inspections in most schools.
Mobile handsets banned on campus.
‘Objectionable’ CDs, tapes confiscated.
Staff told not to use cellphones during school hours.
PCOs installed in offices, dormitories.