No cellphones in classrooms, NDMC tells school teachers

In an attempt to increase efficiency of its teachers, the NDMC banned use of cellphones in school classrooms. The decision was taken after the NDMC education department was informed that the teachers were regularly found talking on their cellphones in the classrooms.

The decision to ban the use of mobile phones in the classrooms was taken at the meeting of education department officers, chaired by education committee chairperson Mamta Nagpal, held in the last week of July. According to minutes of the meeting, Ms Nagpal emphasised that no teachers should use their cellphones in the classrooms and must keep their phones switched off.

An order has now been issued, formally notifying the ban. Ms Nagpal told this newspaper her department had received complaints that some teachers, instead of teaching, were found using mobiles in the classrooms and spending most of the time on personal issues. “To increase efficiency and output of the teachers, the NDMC has decided to ban the use of the mobile phones in the classrooms. The teachers have been asked to switch off their phone during classes or keep them on silent mode,” added Ms Nagpal.

The teachers have been advised to use school or principal’s phone for emergency. “Teachers are advised to give principal’s or school phone number to their family to contact them, in case of any emergency. In certain cases of emergency, without the permission of principal, they can carry the mobile phones with them on silent mode in their classes,” said Ms Nagpal.

The NDMC, however, exempted the use of mobiles for teaching purposes. “We learnt that many teachers use mobiles in their teaching style, to use a video or audio to help children to learn quickly. So, we have decided that teachers using mobiles as teaching tools are allowed to use them in the classrooms for the purpose,” she added.

The principals will be asked to ensure that the exemption should not be misused for personal use of mobile phones,” she added.