TTUTA: Enforce cell phone policy

Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) president Lynsley Doodhai yesterday said, rather than banning cell phones in schools, principals and teachers should enforce the policy established by the Ministry of Education.

Doodhai said many schools have enforced the policy where students must have a “normal standard cell phone.” He said many schools also have a policy where students have to lodge the cell phones upon entry to the schools.

“They will keep the cell phones in the administrative office and the students collect them when they are leaving.” Doodhai said videos posted on social media are getting out of control and something must be done about it.

“The videos will attest to the fact that students by and large, in some schools, have cell phones with cameras during their school hours. The policy from the Ministry’s policy document says, once you enter the gates of the schools, the phones are to be powered off.”

He said many of the videos which appear on social media are reflective of copycat behaviour.

“A rigid enforcement of the policy regarding cell phones in schools would and should have an impact on reducing the number of videos on social media. However, that in no way will help to decrease the incidents of violence in our nation’s schools.”