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Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
SCHOOL heads, parents and pupils in Gweru have backed proposals for the use of cell phones in schools. Contributing during the parliamentary portfolio committee on Education, Sport, Arts and Culture public hearing on the challenges in primary and secondary education at Chaplin High School on Thursday last week, the school heads, parents and pupils however, expressed mixed feelings over the distribution of condoms in schools.
Fletcher High School head, Stephen Njini, said school children should be allowed to bring cell phones to schools. He said with the advent of new technology, cell phones were a useful tool which, however, needed properly defined parameters for use in schools. “Cellphones only become a problem when they’re not properly used. So we advocate for cell phones with defined parameters. The cell phone shouldn’t have access to the WhatsApp platform or other sites that aren’t related to the curriculum,” said Njini.
One of the parents said the government should move with the times. “Government introduced e-learning and what’s e-learning without the use of cell phones. Smart phones should be allowed in schools. “The government should buy the rights for textbooks we use and we just download them. ICT is the order of the day and the government can’t continue to fight the inevitable,” she said.
Another parent said cell phone use in schools should be accompanied by a detailed research on the matter.Pupils also aired their views supporting the use of cell phones. They said cell phones if properly used and monitored were a very important gadget to assist them in their education. A Chaplin High School pupil said cell phones should be allowed as they could be used for research purposes.
“Cell phones and the internet go hand in hand. We have few computers in schools but we’ve these smart phones. So allow us to bring them to school so that we do our research using them,” said the pupil.
Lundi Park Primary School head, Joyful Mupinguri, said parents should be allowed to make school fees and levies payment plans. She said considering that parents were failing to raise school fees on time, the government should allow for payment plans. Sandara Primary School head, Lilen Mugwagwa, said the government should increase teachers’ salaries.
“May the government increase our salaries as a way of motivating us. Some teachers have over 50 pupils, they don’t have learning materials and are teaching outside because of lack of infrastructure. Such a teacher won’t perform well. There’s a need for the government and its partners to look at improving teachers’ salaries and invest in infrastructure development,” she said.
The chairperson of the portfolio committee, Cde Never Khanye (Matobo North), said they had been to Mutare, Jerera in Zaka, Masvingo and Bulawayo where participants raised mixed feelings on the use of cell phones and condoms in schools. “Some are saying yes to cell phone use and distribution of condoms in schools while others are saying no. So we’re getting their views before we make a report that we will take to parliament,” he said.
Cde Khanye said the issue of reproductive health and e-learning in the school environment needed everyone’s input before the government comes out with a position.
Online Reporter