Wiersma will talk to schools about banning mobile phones

ANP

NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 16:25

Minister Wiersma will talk to schools about possibly banning mobile phones in the classroom. In the House of Representatives he acknowledged that mobile phones can disrupt lessons, but he also pointed out that it is up to schools themselves to develop policy on this. “That space is there and schools are taking up that space too.”

Wiersma also acknowledged that it can be confusing that at one school one teacher encourages the use of mobile phones in class and the other does not. The ministry is already helping schools with the question of how they use mobile phones. But he wants to intensify those talks, he said after a motion by CDA and PVV. He leaves his judgment on that motion to the judgment of the House, which in practice means that he can live with it.

CDA Member of Parliament Peters and his PVV colleague Beertema have been critical of the use of mobile phones in the classroom for some time now. Their motion states that “following education properly with a smartphone in the vicinity is in fact impossible and that there is a broad consensus that smartphones in the classroom are very problematic”.

According to the motion, the cabinet should discuss with schools and other parties how smartphones can be banned from the classroom and whether a national ban will help with this.” That motion will probably get a majority in the House.

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