"We support it, but..."

The unfinished sentence reflects the concerns of Mr. Vu Minh, a parent of a student at Hong Bang Secondary School (District 5, Ho Chi Minh City), and is also the sentiment of many parents that reporters from PNVN newspaper have observed.

Mr. Vu Minh shared: "The school has a rule that students are not allowed to use phones during class, which I support, but I'm also worried about the inconvenience of communicating with my child. The school provides landline phones for students to use when needed, but that doesn't give them much control."

Therefore, my family only provided my child with a mobile phone and told him to keep it in his backpack so he could contact someone when needed."

While agreeing with the school's stricter management of students' phone use during class, Ms. Nguyen Hong Minh (Nam Tu Liem district, Hanoi) is concerned that this ban might cause children to fall behind in the context of the ever-evolving digital technology .

"Internet-connected smartphones can be a practical learning tool for children. They can learn foreign languages, search for and store documents, and complete digitized assignments and exams. With AI-powered applications, they can draw pictures, find ideas for projects, write essays, create artwork, stories, and videos ..."

"If students don't know how to utilize this vast source of knowledge, and don't know how to apply technology to their learning, I'm afraid they won't be able to adapt to today's rapidly developing technological society," Hong Minh worried.

"I see this regulation as having more benefits than drawbacks."

Reporters from PNVN newspaper have observed that many parents agree with and support schools tightening control over students' use of mobile phones.

Ms. Phan Kim Phuong, a parent whose child attends Le Quy Don Secondary School (District 11, Ho Chi Minh City), said: "I think this regulation is very good, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Students who need to contact their parents can go down to the canteen to make a call and pay 4-5 thousand dong per call."

Some students carry expensive phones and then lose them, leading to suspicion and unnecessary conflicts. Not to mention, students using phones during class causes distractions and loss of focus on their studies."

The decision by Huy Van Secondary School (Dong Da District, Hanoi ) to ban students from bringing mobile phones to school has also received the support of parents. Mr. Nguyen Dinh Cuong (Tho Quan Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi) is very pleased that his 8th-grade daughter comes to school without using a mobile phone.

"At the beginning of last school year, my child followed their friends' lead in demanding that their parents buy them an expensive phone. In class, my child has a group chat, and the students in the group frequently badmouth and ostracize a girl in the class. Not to mention, I occasionally receive complaints from the homeroom teacher that my child secretly uses their phone during class."

"So, since the second semester of last school year, when I heard that the school had issued a rule prohibiting students from bringing phones to school, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I'm sure that without a phone, my child will focus more on listening to lectures. He will also connect with his friends more directly instead of through social media," Mr. Cuong shared.

When she heard that her child's school had a rule to confiscate students' phones during class, Ms. Phan Thị Thanh Thảo (Dong Da district, Hanoi) was delighted.

"At home, seeing my child constantly glued to their phone all day, even during school hours, makes me very anxious. It's very difficult for me to take their phone away because they come up with all sorts of excuses, like exchanging notes with friends, checking homework assignments from the teacher via Zalo..."

I've noticed my child spends more time chatting with friends than studying, and as a result, their academic performance isn't good. I'm worried that they might be using their phone while studying in class. Therefore, I strongly support the rule of confiscating phones during class, and I feel more at ease knowing my child will focus more on the lesson."

Clause 4, Article 37, Chapter V of Circular No. 32/2020/TT-BGDĐT dated September 15, 2020 stipulates: Students are not allowed to use mobile phones or other devices while studying in class that are not for learning purposes and are not permitted by the teacher.

Next article: We should create a positive and responsible learning environment, instead of prohibition.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/loi-va-hai-khi-truong-siet-hoc-sinh-dung-dien-thoai-bai-2-chung-toi-ung-ho-nhung-20241108153633173.htm