UNESCO calls for ban of smartphones in schools

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The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has called on policymakers and governments across the globe to ban the use of smartphones from schools to tackle classroom disruption, improve learning and protect children from cyber-bullying,

Audrey Azoulay, director-general at UNESCO in the 2023 global education monitoring report released recently, said that the organisation called for the use of technology in class only when it supports learning outcomes, and this includes the use of smartphones.

“The digital revolution holds immeasurable potential but, just as warnings have been voiced for how it should be regulated in society, similar attention must be paid to the way it is used in education,” Azoulay said.

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Azoulay in addition said: “Its use must be for enhanced learning experiences and for the wellbeing of students and teachers, not to their detriment. Keep the needs of the learner first and support teachers. Online connections are no substitute for human interaction.”

UNESCO said there was evidence that excessive mobile phone use was linked to reduced educational performance and that high levels of screen time had a negative effect on children’s emotional stability.

According to the 2023 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) findings, some technology can support some learning in some contexts, but not when it is over-used or inappropriately used.

The organisation warned policymakers and stakeholders against any inconsiderate promotion of digital technology in schools, arguing that its positive impact on learning outcomes and economic efficiency could be overstated.

“Not all change constitutes progress. Just because something can be done does not mean it should be done,” UNESCO noted.

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In a recent report from the organisation it was revealed that even just having a mobile phone nearby with notifications coming through is enough to result in students losing their attention from the task at hand. One study found that it can take students up to 20 minutes to refocus on what they were learning once distracted.

According to the report, removing smartphones from schools in countries such as Belgium, Spain, and the United Kingdom was found to improve learning outcomes, especially for students that were not performing as well as their peers.

Rachel Harper, principal of St. Patrick’s Primary School, Greystones, County Wicklow in Ireland, who banned smartphone use in her school highlighted the fact that there are concerns over data privacy, safety, and well-being also underpin debates about the use of some technology in schools, especially by students at young ages.

“We saw children as young as nine years old requesting smartphones, and it was evident that these children were not emotionally ready to navigate the complexities of these devices and the digital world,” Harper said.

Elizabeth Ohaka, an early childhood educationist reacting to UNESCO’s disposition said the contemporary ecosystem demands children to be acquainted with technology, but must be guided in doing that.

“We live in the information age and the internet provides a rich source of information in every area humanly conceivable.

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How do we connect to the internet? In various ways namely; mobile phones and computers, laptops, tablets, and so on.

If we want our children to be 21st century compliant then the use of the internet is imperative. We can’t escape it,” she said.

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Ohaka explained that children in a developmental stage with a very short attention span must use these gadgets, but that they must be supervised by a responsible adult.

“The gadgets must be used purposefully, intentionally, and functionally. The children do not have to own the phones to use them,” she noted.

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Currently, only 16 percent of countries explicitly guarantee data privacy in education by law. And during the covid-19 pandemic, one analysis found that 89 percent of 163 education technology products were recommended for children.

Further, 39 of 42 governments providing online education during the pandemic fostered uses that risked or infringed on children’s rights.

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The 2023 GEM report, entitled ‘Technology in education: A tool on whose terms?’, calls for decisions about technology in education to prioritise the needs of the learner, making sure that any uses of technology are appropriate, equitable, scalable, and sustainable.

It maintains that students need to learn the risks and opportunities that come with technology and not be shielded from them entirely.

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However, countries need to give better guidance on what technology is allowed in school and what is not, and on their responsible use. “Only technology that has a clear role in supporting learning should be allowed in school,” GEM noted.

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sanya-onayoade

Sanya Onayoade

Continental Editor, North America

SANYA ONAYOADE is a graduate of Mass Communication and a Master of Communication Arts degree holder from the University of Ibadan. He has attended local and international courses on Media, Branding, Public Relations and Corporate Governance in many institutions including the University of Pittsburgh; Reuters Foundation of Rhodes University, South Africa and Lagos Business School. He has worked in many newspaper houses including The Guardian and The Punch. He was the pioneer Corporate Affairs Manager of Odua Telecoms Ltd, and later Head of Business Development and Marketing of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO Plc).

He has led business teams to several countries in the US, Asia and Europe; and was part of an Aviation investment drive in West Africa. He has also driven media and brand consultancy for a few organizations such as the British Council, Industrial Training Fund, PKF Audit/Accounting Firm and Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme. He is a Fellow of Freedom House, Washington DC, and also Fellow of Institute of Brand Management of Nigeria. Sanya is a member of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and Project Management Institute (PMI). He is a 1998 Commonwealth Media Awards winner and the Author of A Decade Of Democracy.
Morak Babajide-Alabi

Morak Babajide-Alabi

Continental Editor, Europe

Morak Babajide-Alabi is a graduate of Mass Communication with a Master of Arts Degree in Journalism from Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. He is an experienced Social Media practitioner with a strong passion for connecting with customers of brands.

Morak works as part of a team currently building an e-commerce project for the Volkswagen Group UK. Before this, he worked on the social media accounts of SKODA, Audi, SEAT, CUPRA, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. In this job, he brought his vast experience in journalism, marketing, and search engine optimisation to play to make sure the brands are well represented on social media. He monitored the performance of marketing campaigns and data analysis of all volumes of social media interaction for the brands.

In his private capacity, Morak is the Chief Operating Officer of Syllable Media Limited, an England-based marketing agency with head office in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The agency handles briefs such as creative writing, ghostwriting, website designs, and print and broadcast productions, with an emphasis on search engine optimisation. Syllable Media analyses, reviews, and works alongside clients to maximise returns on their businesses.

Morak is a writer, blogger, journalist, and social media “enthusiast”. He has several publications and projects to his credit with over 20 years of experience writing and editing for print and online media in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

Morak is a dependable team player who succeeds in a high-pressure environment. He started his professional career with the flagship of Nigerian journalism – The Guardian Newspapers in 1992 where he honed his writing and editing skills before joining TELL Magazine. He has edited, reported for, and produced newspapers and magazines in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Morak is involved in the development of information management tools for the healthcare sector in Africa. He is on the board of DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited, a company with branches in London, Lagos, and Abuja, to make healthcare information available at the fingertips of professionals. DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited achieved this by collaborating with notable informatics companies. It had partnered in the past with Avia Informatics Plc and i2i TeleSolutions Pvt.

Out of work, Morak loves walking and also volunteers on the board of a few UK Charity Organisations. He can be reached via http://www.syllablemedia.com
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Ademola Akinbola

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Brief Profile of Ademola Akinbola

Ademola AKINBOLA is an author, publisher, trainer, digital marketing strategist, and a brand development specialist with nearly three decades of experience in the areas of branding, communication, corporate reputation management, business development, organizational change management, and digital marketing.

He is the Founder and Head Steward at BrandStewards Limited, a brand and reputation management consultancy. He is also the Publisher of The Podium International Magazine, Ile-Oluji Times, and Who’s Who in Ile-Oluji.

He had a successful media practice at The Guardian, Punch and This Day.

He started his brand management career at Owena Bank as Media Relations Manager before joining Prudent Bank (now Polaris Bank) as the pioneer Head of Corporate Affairs.

The British Council appointed him as Head of Communication and Marketing to co-ordinate branding and reputation management activities at its Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt offices.

In 2007, he was recruited as the Head of Corporate Planning and Strategy for the Nigerian Aviation Handling company. He led on the branding, strategic planning and stakeholder management support function.

His job was later expanded and redesigned as Head of Corporate Communication and Business Development with the mandate to continue to execute the Board’s vision in the areas of Corporate Planning and Strategy, Branding and New Businesses.

In 2010, he voluntarily resigned from nacho aviance to focus on managing BrandStewards, a reputation and brand management firm he established in 2003. BrandStewards has successfully executed branding, re-branding and marketing communication projects for clients in the private and public sectors.

Ademola obtained a M.Sc. Degree in Digital Marketing & Web Analytics from Dublin Institute of Technology in 2016, and the Master of Communication Arts degree of the University of Ibadan in 1997. He had previously obtained a Higher National Diploma (with Upper Credit) in Mass Communication from Ogun State Polytechnic, Abeokuta.

He has published several articles and authored five management books.

He has benefitted from several domestic and international training programmes on Brand Management, Corporate Communications, Change Management and Organizational Strategy.
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