Banning Phones, Distributing Tablets: The Policy Contradiction Hindering Education

In recent years, Ghana has taken commendable strides towards integrating technology into education. Introducing a new, forward-looking curriculum and the government’s distribution of tablets to Senior High School (SHS) students are strong signals of Ghana’s commitment to modernising the educational system.

Yet, despite these progressive moves, a glaring contradiction persists, a contradiction that threatens to undermine the very progress we hope to achieve. While the Ghana Education Service (GES) maintains a strict ban on mobile phones for SHS students, the government is simultaneously distributing tablets to the same students for academic purposes. This contradictory stance is difficult to ignore and demands immediate attention and policy realignment.

For years, the ban on mobile phones in SHSs was justified by concerns over distractions, examination malpractice, exposure to inappropriate content, and disciplinary issues. These were legitimate fears in an age where technology seemed more a source of mischief than a tool for learning.

However, the world has changed. Mobile phones today are no longer just communication gadgets; they are portable computers with endless academic possibilities. Educational apps, digital textbooks, online dictionaries, calculators, science simulators, and virtual learning spaces are all accessible at the tap of a screen. And the students can't be denied access to these learning materials. If students can be entrusted with tablets for studying, why not with carefully regulated use of mobile phones? After all, tablets and smartphones serve nearly identical educational purposes.

The new educational curriculum being rolled out in Ghana focuses on research, problem-solving, critical thinking, and the creative application of knowledge. These are noble objectives, but they cannot be achieved solely through chalk and talk. Students need access to diverse digital resources to deepen and sharpen their understanding of academic content. With responsible use, mobile phones can complement the tablets distributed by the government, expanding students’ access to educational content and making learning more interactive and engaging.

The policy of prohibiting the use of mobile phones in schools must be changed for the following reasons;

Policy Coherence: It is contradictory to promote digital learning on one hand and prohibit it on the other. If digital devices are essential for modern learning, the tools shouldn’t be arbitrarily separated into “acceptable” and “unacceptable” categories without clear justification.

Technological Progress: The rest of the world is harnessing mobile technology to transform education. Ghana must not lag behind.

Support for Educational Reform: The successful implementation of the new curriculum depends on practical access to digital learning materials—many of which are more accessible via mobile phones than even tablets.

Training for Responsible Use: Instead of an outright ban, schools can teach digital literacy and responsible use of technology as part of the curriculum, turning a potential problem into an opportunity for growth.

It is time for the Ghana Education Service, the Ministry of Education, and all relevant stakeholders to undertake a comprehensive review of the ban on mobile phones in SHSs. This review should not be a top-down imposition but a collaborative effort involving teachers, parents, ICT professionals, and the students themselves.

To control the use of mobile phosphoresce following measures could be adopted:

Restricting usage to supervised academic activities.

Pre-installing educational apps and restricting access to entertainment platforms.

Providing education-specific data bundles in partnership with telecom companies.

To conclude, Ghana cannot afford to hold its students back in a system designed for a pre-digital world. The contradiction between distributing tablets and phones exposes a gap in our policy direction. If we truly want to prepare our students for the demands of the modern, technology-driven world, we must review and revise outdated policies.

It’s time to replace fear with foresight, contradiction with consistency, and restrictions with responsibility. The future of education in Ghana depends on it.

Ghanaians are watching
FAB'S Gist