Broomes expresses disapproval of cellphone usage in schools

 

Former Secondary School Principal, Jeff Broomes, is opposed to students being allowed to use cellphones in schools across this island.
 
As he fielded questions on Friday afternoon at the Democratic Labour Party’s headquarters after delivering the weekly lunchtime lecture, Broomes told the audience that he is vehemently opposed to cellphone usage in schools for a number of reasons – chief amongst them – is that he does not believe that the students are mature enough.
 
As a former principal, he spoke of firsthand knowledge of instances where cellphones were used for nefarious activities and he said should the students lose them, “what will happen then?” He made the point as he contended that it is not the job of the school to keep the phones.
 
In recent times the Minister of Education, Ronald Jones, has said that Government is considering a cellphone policy for schools and Broomes insists that the cellphone issue is one that is worthy of “engaged discussion”.
 
His comments came as he suggested in his lecture on the “Contemporary Challenges to Barbadian Education” that technology is one of those challenges.
 
He said that while nothing in the world moves without some infusion of technology, the challenge is to encourage not only a high level of mastery in the area, but also to promote appropriate use.
 
“Despite all of the good that technology offers, inclusive of communication and problem solving, it poses significant challenges, especially to the young developing and impressionable minds. Misuse of social media, long lasting negative exposure, hurtful cyber bullying and even debilitating hacking and disclosure of personal and confidential information are the ugly under belly of technology use,” he noted.
 
With that in mind, Broomes, who remains a big supporter of the EduTech initiative, expressed concern that in some secondary schools, students are not given computer classes until they reach third or fourth form. This is a shame, he said, especially given that most primary school students get that exposure and he is adamant that that situation cannot be left unattended. (JRT)

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