Allowing Students to Bring Mobile Phones to School Essay

In today’s generation, mobile phones have been a necessity in everyone everyday lives. Many teenagers today describe their mobile phones as their â€Å"life†. Technology nowadays increasingly sophisticated makes all information is just at our fingertips. So, the question arose whether mobile phones should be allowed during school sessions? What are the effects of it? Some people support this proposal because they felt that mobile phones can help students at the school. While some others felt that it will increase social problems among students. As for my opinion, there are two pros allowing students to bring mobile phones to the school, which is act as convenient communication tool and learning aids, and one con which is increasing in criminal cases. With the development of technology, each purpose of usage has its own pros and cons. There are some advantages of allowing students to bring mobile phones to school which is act as convenient communication tool and learning aids. Firstly, as a communication tool, students can use mobile phones to keep in touch with their parents or friends while they are still at school. As a small tool, mobile phones are very convenient to the students to carry it around the school in their pocket or bag. Moreover, students can use mobile phones as an emergency aid. As we know nowadays that there are lots of illegal activities such as bully and theft that has already plagued school. So, by allowing students to bring mobile phones to school, students can use it to contact authorities if they are in danger during school hour. Besides that, mobile phones can also be used as learning aids at school. As stated above, the technology of mobile phones nowadays is very advance and sophisticated. Thus, students can used this technology to aid them and look for information about knowledge in the faster ways. There are lots of functions or application such as calculator, maps, internet, dictionaries, notes, and calendars that can assist students in their learning process at school. That’s why Deputy Education Minister, Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said that in 2013, students will be allowed to bring mobile phones and IT gadgets to school after the rules and regulations under the Education Act 1996 are  amended. It is suggested like that because the government has foreseen how mobile phone can aid students to gain more and faster knowledge during school hour. Read more:  Essay on Heavy School Bags However, every development there is also con when bring a mobile phones to school, which is increasing in criminal cases. Some examples of criminal cases that occur in the school are theft, bullying and cheating. First of all is theft cases, there are good chances of phone theft when students bring an expensive and attractive mobile phones to school. In fact, Datin Noor Azimah (The Star Online, 2012) said â€Å"When there is a theft, time would be spent and wasted while trying to look for the culprit and this would likely disrupt classes†. So, it is best to leave them at home to prevent this problem from occur. As well as bullying, this is the form of cyber-bullying that has replaced the physical bullying and makes the school environment unsafe for many students. This is because, mobile phones nowadays have a built-in digital camera, and there is a distinct possibility that some students may take unflattering pictures, send incriminating videos, or utter threatening. Therefore, the use of mobile phones can be quickly turned into tools of corruption. Apart from it there is increasing in cheating cases. Mobile phones that can surf the Web and have application such as advance calculator or camera can facilitate cheating on tests, quizzes, in-class essays and other assignments. For example, an article titled â€Å"Students Called on SMS Cheating† proves that cheating is present inside the classroom, and allowing cell phones inside the classroom puts a teacher’s classroom management at risk. As a result, it will give a lot of trouble to school. To conclude, we can see that allowing students to bring mobile phones to school will be beneficial to them. Even though, mobile phones can be used as a communication tool and learning aids, still the disadvantages such as increase in criminal cases will give more impact to student’s life and that cannot be overlooked. REFERENCE Bernama (2012, July 17). PTA: No mobile phones to school, please! The Star. Retrieved from http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/7/17/nation/20120717222415&sec=nation Culture: Education. (2003, January 30). Students called on SMS cheating. Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/culture/education/news/2003/01/57484 Loo T. E. (2012, July 16). Students can take handphones, IT gadgets to school from 2013. The Star. Retrieved from http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/7/17/nation/20120717222415&sec=nation