Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte has said she agrees with a Senate bill seeking to prohibit the use of electronic gadgets and mobile devices within school premises during class hours.
However, the public official said the gadget ban should only cover personal use, with exceptions made for necessary cases like educational and emergency reasons.
“We’re okay with the banning of gadgets for personal use, (but) subject to exceptions. I understand and have read the draft that there are exceptions, particularly if the gadget is used for learning and teaching,” Duterte told the media in Davao City on Wednesday.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian recently filed Senate Bill 2706 or the proposed Electronic Gadget-Free Schools Act.
The said measure covers teachers and students from kindergarten to senior high school in both public and private basic education institutions.
“Aside from decrease in learners’ academic performance, access to such devices seems likely to mediate involvement in cyberbullying that is why the use of mobile devices and other electronic gadgets must be restricted, especially during class hours,” Gatchalian said.
