Guidelines to discourage parents from buying smartphones for their primary school children have received Cabinet approval.
Resources to support parents and parent associations would be rolled out to those who want to develop voluntary codes regarding smartphone use in schools.
It would involve schools supporting discussions between parents and their children about device use,
Education Minister Norma Foley says she wants to support more parents and schools by taking this step:
“Children are open to viewing content that no parent would want them to view. Whether its sexual, violent or cyber bullying and they are carrying all of this around in their pockets. Parents want to be supported to make the right decisions to prevent that happening, particularly for younger children. So we are being proactive in this space.”
Principal of Scoil Mhaodhoig Poulfur, Domini A Bn Ui Choda, has welcomed the move by the Minister, but says that she doesn’t want to see pressure put on parental choice:
“With regards to the idea of it coming through the schools. I am not in favour of schools exerting pressure on parents and parental choice. At the end of the day it is parental choice if they allow their children to use smartphones outside of school hours.”
Domini went on to state that smartphones are a powerful tool for communication and learning but they come with their own problems that need to be addressed :
“If we keep going in the right direction with parents and schools working together then the future may be a little brighter with regard to the use of smartphones.”
