Social media has made phones a distraction

Mobile phones have become a cause of concern for many educators. Schools and teachers fear that these gadgets only serve to distract students a problem that has been worsened by the era of social media apps like Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp. While in the past educators were concerned about who outside the school, a student was communicating with, today social media allows one to simply post updates and look at other people’s posts and pictures almost for the mere sake of it. However, it is also not easy to stem the tide of technological adoption and in the near future even Rwanda schools may feel compelled to loosen up on the rules governing mobile phones. This is because today phones are not just phones. Smart phones are actually mini computers and a country with ICT ambitions like Rwanda may give in at some point in time. In developed countries where students are allowed to use phones while at school. The rules stipulate that phones cannot be used while in class or during an examination. Those caught using the phones in class are often fined or reprimanded. For now school administrators can ensure sanity by enforcing the rules consistently without favour. They should also communicate with parents so they can understand what is important for the child at school. It is always difficult to enforce discipline in schools if the parents are not on board. As technology increases, not only will cell phones be a persistent problem, but so will electronic notebooks, e-readers, and other tech devices. Schools have to keep pace with innovation by knowing when to say no to technology and when to embrace it. This is clearly an issue that will remain debatable over time.