Use Of Mobile Phones In Schools Should Be Reviewed

Considering the advantages derived from the use of mobile phones, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has been called upon to review the policy on the use of mobile phones in schools.

According to Professor Eric Magnus Wilmot, the Provost of the College of Education Studies, University of Cape Coast, the GES should reconsider its stance against the use of mobile phones in Senior High Schools (SHS).

He said mobile phone usage could be properly regulated in schools to advance academic work of students.

A statement copied to the Ghana News Agency from the Science Education Unit of the GES quoted Prof. Wilmot as suggesting that there were more positives to the use of mobile phones than the negatives, hence the urgent need to lift the ban.

Prof. Wilmot stated during the first Ghana Science Olympiad Competition (GSO), organised for Science and Mathematics students by the GES in Gomoa Fetteh in the Central Region.

According to the statement Mr Andrews Kwabena Quaning, the Head of the Science Education Unit, GES, who outlined the criteria for the award, explained that the GSO was a competition that brought students together in order to encourage them to solve problems of inter disciplinary content and relevance.

The competition would also help the students to think critically, be creative and innovative in solving problems with scientific principles and as well be prepared towards their future careers.

The statement explained that the tasks consisted of critical thinking objectives, problem-based theory and practical questions from Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics.

The Theory and Objective tests were done on individual basis whilst the practical was done in groups of two (school based).

The best 30 students were awarded with 10 Gold medals, 10 Silver medals and 10 Bronze medals.

The statement said the students were also awarded under categories of Best Student in Theory and Objectives, Best School in Practical, and Overall Best School.

The Awards included a digital tablet, science books, trophy, plaque and fully installed DSTV Decoder with educational content.

In all, eight students had plaques whilst four of them were given Samsung Galaxy Tablets and the three best schools were awarded with trophies.

---GNA