The world of the internet and social media is massive, and so are the pros and cons associated with the usage of mobile phones. As per a new government amendment for the welfare and well-being of children in the United Kingdom, schools are advised to ban mobile phones on the premises. This new bill is believed to replace the existing guidance with a statutory ban. Here’s all you need to know…Why this sudden ban?As per a new bill passed, there will be a ban on mobile phones in schools in England to be introduced by the government as critical safeguarding legislation. According to the media reports, the government will table an amendment to the children’s well-being and schools bill in the House of Lords after the bill was held up by peers on opposition benches. It will make existing guidance on mobile phone bans in schools statutory, a move that ministers have resisted until now. This is because the government observed that the majority of schools had already banned mobile phones and that there was no need to add a legal requirement. They finally capitulated, describing it as “a pragmatic measure” to get the bill through.The stern moveAs per a leading digital daily, the amendment was announced on Monday the education minister, Jacqui Smith told the Lords: “We recognize the strength of feeling on this issue, both in this house and beyond. Notwithstanding the fact that we think the guidance we already have in place provides headteachers and schools with a range of approaches to be able to deliver the objective that we all share, we are committing to tabling an amendment in lieu, which will place the existing guidance on a statutory footing on the face of the bill, creating a clear legal requirement for schools.” He further added, “We’ve listened to concerns about how we support headteachers in delivering on this policy and we have listened to parliament.”The reaction of the new moveThe new move by the government has received mixed reactions, while the bill is regarded by many as the biggest piece of child protection legislation in decades and includes proposals for a compulsory register for children who are not in school, a crackdown on profiteering in children’s social care, and a “single unique identifier” to help agencies track a child’s welfare.Speaking on the same lines, Pepe Di’Iasio, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said, “A statutory ban on mobile phones in schools doesn’t really change very much. Most schools already have policies in place under which pupils are not permitted to use mobile phones. “What would really be helpful is for the government to make funding available to schools for the safe and secure storage of mobile phones, such as storage lockers or locked pouches.“
