Phones

After Dumanjug Mayor Gungun Gica exercised his very stern order that mobile phones will not be allowed in schools, reporters were quick to ask other local government units if they will do the same. There is no clear answer yet from the leaders of the highly-urbanized cities but Gica, in another social media post on Sunday, reminded school heads that the mandate will take effect this week. Whoever brings a phone will have to claim the device only at the end of the school year an order that might scare students and parents alike.

While I am for the prohibition of phones, especially during class hours, I still think they are helpful for some students. I started bringing a mobile phone when I was in first grade. My childhood was rather different because I did not have a nanny and relied mostly on communicating directly with my parents for concerns such as getting home. There are several pros and cons to discuss regarding this rather strict order.

In one of the high schools in the city, phones are deposited at the start of the first period and claimed during lunchtime so students can update their parents. The phones were surrendered again after lunch and claimed only when classes ended. The issue of being exposed to violence may not lie in the actual possession of the phone but in how children are taught to use different digital platforms. Again, it boils down to proper media literacy. What's funny is that Media and Information Literacy is already a dedicated subject in high school, but apparently the way it is taught is not the same for all.

I'd like to bring back the discussion on how children are also taught at home. A well-guided child knows early on what is right and wrong, let alone be easily triggered by bullying. It is true that we do not tolerate bullying, but parents' presence and guidance can help children become more resilient and emotionally secure. Schools can only do so much. Values are reinforced every day at home, where children first learn respect, discipline, empathy, and accountability.

Technology has become too embedded in our lives to simply treat it as the enemy. Phones can distract students, but they can also serve as tools for learning, communication, and even emergencies. Banning them altogether may solve one problem, but it may also create others. The challenge is not simply removing the device from a child's hands but ensuring that when it is eventually returned, the child knows how to use it responsibly.

Perhaps this conversation should move beyond whether phones should be allowed inside schools. The more important question is whether we are doing enough to prepare children for a world where digital devices will always be part of their everyday lives. Rules are necessary, but so are guidance, consistency, and good examples from both teachers and parents. In the end, the phone is only a tool. The values of the person holding it will always matter more.