Most Russian parents oppose ban on phones in schools – poll
Some 54% of Russian parents oppose a possible ban on the use of cellphones in the country's schools, the Vedomosti newspaper has reported, citing a poll by the education providers Maximum Education and Samoletum.
Children appear to dislike the measure even more, with 83% saying it's wrong, according to the study.
Last week, the Russian parliament passed a law forbidding students from using their cellphones in schools, except for emergency situations involving a risk to health or life. The gadgets had previously been allowed in classes for educational purposes.
The poll, in which 1,265 teachers and 2,493 school pupils and their parents took part, showed that 72% of educators supported the move by lawmakers, Vedomosti said in an article on Monday.
The teachers suggested that without their smartphones children would be more attentive in class (78%) and would also cheat less (68%). However, many acknowledged that gadgets can be useful in the educational process (74%). Another 34% of educators insisted that parents should have the ability to contact their kids at any time, according to the poll.
The law does not specify exactly how the phones should be taken from children and where they should be kept during classes, leaving that up to individual educational institutions to work out the procedure.
While 54% of parents believe that teachers should be able to confiscate phones from students if they deem it necessary, the same percentage of educators said that it's unacceptable for them to take gadgets from the children.
Just over a half of educators supported the idea of installing special lockers in classrooms, in which students will put their phones themselves, while 21% suggested that the gadgets should be seized as soon as the student enters the school building.
During the summer, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) called on governments to restrict the use of gadgets in schools to improve students’ educational performance and address the adverse effects that, it said, technology can have on the emotional stability of children.
Smartphones are forbidden in schools in many countries, including China, France and Italy. A similar ban goes into force in the Netherlands from January 1, 2024.
