KUCHING: In principle, Sarawak Bumiputera Teachers Union (KGBS) is against students bringing hand phones or other IT gadgets to school.
This was disclosed by its president Ahmad Malie who said that allowing them to do so might bring implications as students could abuse them without knowing the repercussions.
Malie also told reporters at his Hari Raya Open house yesterday that they would have a meeting in September to discuss the matter, saying the Ministry of Education needed to explain and obtain feedback from various parties, including parents-teachers associations.
“We are worried of the implications if students abuse the hand phones,” he said, citing the many unpleasant things that could occur if the modern tools were to be used other than their intended purposes
The issue arose last month when Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong announced that students in Malaysia would be allowed to bring mobile phones and IT gadgets to school from next year.
According to him, the move was in line with the implementation of virtual teaching and learning programmes, which will offer free WiFi in schools.
He added that allowing mobile phones in schools was taking place worldwide, saying some schools in the United States and United Kingdom had begun to allow mobile phones in schools but with stringent guidelines on their use.
In most of these cases, he said students were only allowed to use their phones during lunch.
Wee’s announcement has created mixed reaction from the public and to date the ministry is still waiting for more feedback on the pros and cons of the matter.