Smart Phones In Schools: A Teaching Aid Or Distraction?

The recent announcement by the Basic Education minister, Unity Dow, for the introduction of communication gadgets in the class has received mixed reactions from the public and teachers.

The reason advanced by the minister is that students can use smart phones and laptops as a learning tool. Smart phones and laptops of course are necessary, and they can be used as learning tools, with proper controls put in place. The minister argued that teachers would have to “manage their classrooms and make sure that the gadgets are used properly and according to teachers’ rules”. The statement surely makes sense, in a perfect world.

Teachers have complained about conditions of service for a long time. The number of students in public schools per class per teacher is overwhelming. Public schools across the country still have the challenge of overcrowding, where it is not uncommon for students to exceed 40 in a class.

Editor's Comment
Routine child vaccination imperative

The recent Vaccination Day in Motokwe, orchestrated through collaborative efforts between UNICEF, USAID, BRCS, and the Ministry of Health, underscores a commendable stride towards fortifying child health services.The painful reality as reflected by the Ministry of Health's data regarding the decline in routine immunisation coverage since the onset of the pandemic, is a cause for concern.It underscores the urgent need to address the...

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