Citing alarming findings from the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) revealing that 80 percent of 15-year-old students are distracted by smartphone use during class, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has officially proposed to ban electronic gadgets during school hours.
Gatchalian announced in a news release Monday that he has filed Senate Bill No. 2706 or the ‘Electronic Gadget-Free Schools Act,’ which mandates the Department of Education (DepEd) to formulate policies on when students are allowed to use mobile devices during class hours.
The guidelines shall apply to learners from kindergarten to senior high school in both public and private basic education institutions. Teachers are likewise prohibited from using mobile devices and electronic gadgets during class hours, according to the senator.
While mobile devices and electronic gadgets can be compelling tools to enhance learning and teaching, the chairperson of the Senate committee on basic education pointed out how they can cause distractions that could adversely impact learning, especially among young learners.
“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 stated.
The PISA results underscore a troubling correlation between smartphone distractions and significant drops in academic performance: a decrease of 9.3 points in mathematics, 12.2 points in science, and a stark 15.04 points in reading.
The study also highlights that distractions caused by peers’ smartphone use are equally detrimental.
The proposed legislation, however, does recognize essential exceptions.
Mobile devices and electronic gadgets can be used for educational purposes like classroom presentations and activities, health-related needs for students with specific conditions, and in managing emergencies or perceived threats.
Field trips or activities conducted outside school premises also qualify as exceptions.
Gatchalian noted that this legislative push aligns with the findings of the 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report by UNESCO, which advocates for stricter regulation of mobile phone use in educational settings.
The report reveals that only 13 percent of countries worldwide have enacted laws banning mobile phone use in schools, and 14 percent have implemented policies or guidelines to address the issue.
The bill aims to significantly reduce classroom distractions, enhance academic performance, and create a safer, more focused learning environment for all students.