Students + Mobile Phones + School = Negative Influence?

Many of us Singaporeans would remember Jack Neo’s controversial film, I Not Stupid Too. Let me bring to attention one part of the film, which was when the teacher forcibly confiscated some of the students’ mobile phones. It was stated in the film that mobile phones are banned from classes, and this rule had also integrate itself into the fabric of many school systems nowadays.

But is it justified to ban a student from bringing his mobile phone to school? My stand is strongly no.

Mobile phones have become increasingly available in the recent years, and it has found ownership in many of the teenagers today. For a typical student like myself, I have found a mobile phone to be not only useful, but also an essential part of my school life. It is used to call up teachers, to contact mentors and an emergency contact device in times of urgent needs.

The sheer dependency I have on my mobile phone is shared between many of my peers. And without this form of contact, it would be frustrating for both him and his friends around him.

I do not mean to say that phones are purely put into use for work; they can also a form of entertainment. Through the ease of use, we can fit light games and short chats into our already packed schedule.

However, I do not mean to say that this entertainment should be enjoyed during inconvenient times. This seems to be a major concern between parents and teachers. As quoted from an online commenter, “No, they should allow the mobile to school because it will put effect in their studies.” The commenter basically made an assumption that the child would be distracted by their mobile phones and deviate from his studies.

They condemned Short Message Service for its potential use for chats, thus the wastage of time. However, as working adults, they should understand the importance of SMS as a form of communication. Though light hearted exchanges could occur, we should not immediately deem them as a cardinal sin. I am sure all of us would like a humorous little chat in the midst of all the stress of the fast-paced life.

Though there may be occasional abuse of the phone’s function as a source of entertainment, we should not neglect a mobile phone’s huge benefits. As with all technologies to date, there is proper use and abuse. But do we ban this technology altogether for simple, over exaggerated fears of its potentially negative influences?

-Lin Sen

NOTE: Not English Project