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We want to see them being present in the moment, engaging with one another.
Victoria College in Belfast is to provide magnetic pouches to its 900 pupils that they will have to put their mobile phones in during the school day. The school’s principal Karen Quinn told BBC News NI the move was to help pupils be “good communicators”.
Pupils and parents were told about the phone pouch plan on Thursday.
In a letter to parents, Ms Quinn said that, as well as phones, the pouches could store other devices like smart watches and ear pods. “We are confident that this investment will help students to reduce the temptation to access their personal mobile devices during the school day,” she wrote.
She said that phones could “have a detrimental impact on their engagement in learning, social engagement at break and lunch and their overall mental health and wellbeing”.
Mrs Quinn told BBC News NI that the policy did not prevent pupils bringing mobile phones to school, “but they shouldn’t be using them during the day”. “There’s still a temptation when they have their phone and we know they’re using them, so we’ve decided to purchase pouches that are secure for the pupils,” she said. “What we’re going to do is use these pouches alongside our policy to teach them how to responsibly use their phones.”
Sarah is a Sixth form pupil at Victoria College and says she she will struggle to get used to the change but ultimately thinks it will help her studies. “The school has our best interests at heart and we will thank them for this digital detox in the future when we get our results,” she said.
As soon as pupils enter the school they will have to put their phone in their pouch. “It locks and you need a magnet to unlock it,” Ms Quinn said. “Teachers will have access to a magnet so if we want to use a phone for teaching and learning it can be opened up. At the end of the day we will have magnets around the school and the pupils will unlock their pouch as they’re leaving.”
Planned for a year. Education Minister Paul Givan had previously advised schools in Northern Ireland to restrict pupils from using mobile phones during the school day.
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