At the BOSETU delegates’ congress here on Friday, Dow said in this current era of Information, Communication Technology (ICT) in every sphere of life, including schools, time of thinking cellphones and laptops disrupt classes is over. She said there is nothing wrong with students using those devices. “The problem is not the gadgets, but rules on when they should be used. There should be regulations on what gadget to use and when,” she said. She added teachers should then manage their classrooms and make sure that the gadgets are used properly and according to teachers’ rules. “Computers are no longer a subject but a learning tool,” she noted.
The minister said she acknowledges concerns over conditions of service for teachers such as hours of work and teachers who double as boarding masters. She said tension between teachers and the ministry will never go away because they are necessary but they should be managed properly. “This is the nature of employer/employee relations and that is why trade unions are necessary to agitate for better conditions of employers,” she said.
