Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian seeks to prohibit the use of mobile devices and other electronic gadgets in learning institutions during school hours.
Gatchalian filed Senate Bill No. 2706, or the Electronic Gadget-Free Schools Act, that mandates the Department of Education to promulgate guidelines on the prohibition of mobile devices and electronic gadget use within school premises during class hours
The proposed ban will cover kindergarten to senior high school students as well as teachers in both public and private basic education institutions.
The senator worries that mobile devices and electronic gadgets, while compelling tools to enhance learning and teaching, can cause distractions that could adversely impact learning, especially among basic education learners.
"Aside from decrease in learners' academic performance, access to such devices seems likely to mediate involvement in cyberbullying that is why the use of mobile devices and other electronic gadgets must be restricted, especially during class hours," Gatchalian said in a press release.
SB 2706, however, provide some exceptions including:
- learning related-exceptions such as classroom presentation or class-based learning activities;
- health and well-being-related exceptions such as learners with health conditions and require the use of mobile devices and electronic gadgets; and
- exceptions related to managing risks such as emergencies, response to perceived threats or dangers, and during field trips or activities outside school premises.
Gatchalian noted that the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment showed that smartphone use, even by other students, distracts eight out of 10 learners, with ages 15 years old, in class.
The senator added that the PISA results also reveal that distraction due to smartphone use during class also correlates with a decrease in performance of about 9.3 points in mathematics, 12.2 points in science, and 15.04 points in reading.
