No entry for students with mobile phones in schools

School teachers in Tamil Nadu will now confiscate mobile phones carried by students.

The Directorate of School Education has sent a circular to Chief Education Officers of all educational districts in the State instructing them to ensure that the ban on cell phones in schools is effectively enforced.

The circular dated July 25, 2012 presents a comprehensive list of Dos and Don’ts on the use of mobile phones. “In each and every school, students must be prohibited from bringing cell phones. It shall be the responsibility of the respective headmasters and principals to ensure that the ban is enforced immediately,” the circular said.

Principals have been asked to confiscate the handsets if students violate the ban and carry mobile phones with them.

An official at the Directorate of School Education in Chennai said all schools have been advised schools to widely publicise the ban on cell phones by putting up banners and notices on the campus so that students are made aware of it. “We have instructed heads of schools to enlighten students and their parents on the ill-effects of using mobile phones,” he said. Principals have been advised to hold meetings with parents to take steps to ensure that their children are kept under check.

School teachers saidtudents of class IX and above were bringing mobile phones to schools. “The problem is acute in private schools where parents give a cell phone to their wards to keep in touch with them during lunch break and after school hours,” said Maheshwari, a high school teacher.