Recently, the Ministry of Education announced that students are now allowed to bring their handphones to school. First of all, let us see some guidelines on the usage of handphones in school :
a) the usage of handphones are limited to the time before school and during recess time.
b) all handphones must be switched off during classes and extra-curricular activities.
c) the use of handphones, including SMSes, taking pictures and playing ringtones or games, is confined to the canteen, veranda or school compound.
d) schools can confiscate handphones if students do not comply with the guidelines.
e) students are reminded that they are bringing handphones at their own risks.
f) in case of an emergency, students are permitted to use the telephone in the school's office.

         The Director General of Education, Datuk Dr. Ahamad Sipon cited that the increasing number of students owning handphones is the reason for the Ministry of Education to come out with the idea of allowing students to bring handphones to school. Some parents support this idea because they think that they can monitor their children's whereabout and ensure their children's safety. I personally do not agree with this idea. Why? Firstly, the teaching and learning process (proses pengajaran dan pembelajaran) will certainly be disrupted if handphones were to be allowed in schools. How? Refer to the second guidelines : all handphones must be switched off during classes and extra-curricular activities. When a teacher enters a class, he has to spend a lot of time to check and make sure that all students have already switched off their handphones. It will be a need for teachers to do so or some students may take out their handphones and start playing games instead of focusing on what is being taught.

         Next, students may misuse their handphones. They may cheat in examinations by sending the answers to their friends using SMS service. They may also take some pornographic pictures or download some pornographic movies and distribute them among their schoolmates. Some may even take funny pictures of girls and then edit the pictures using computers.

         Apart from that, the Ministry of Education's move to allow students to bring handphones to schools will add burdens to the teachers. The gap between those who own a handphone and those who cannot afford one will be widened. Students from wealthier families can afford to own the latest multi-functional handphones while students from poorer families can only afford to own the old-fashioned handphones with only a few simple functions or some of them do not even own a handphone. Thus, those from the wealthier families will certainly show off their handphones in front of those from the poorer families. This will stir up jealousy among students, especially those who cannot afford to own a handphone. As a result, students who cannot afford to own a handphone will steal it from those who own the latest multi-functional handphones. Although students are reminded that they are bringing handphones at their own risk, if their handphones were being stolen and they report it to the discipline teachers, teachers will still have to investigate the case. Another problem is, if there are boys who take pictures of a girl without seeking her permission beforehand, and the girl reports it to the discipline teacher, would the discipline teacher have to take actions against those boys? Yes, the discipline teacher has to do that. This will become a burden to the discipline teachers whose duties are already heavy enough.

         Other than that, imagine the situation when every student in a school takes out their handphones and keeps sending SMSes or makes phone calls during recess time. Compare this condition with a situation where every student takes out a book and keeps reading it during recess time. I am very sure that no school would want to see the first situation and all schools are looking forward to see the second situation. Schools would not be the place for students to attain knowledge if handphones were to be allowed in schools.

         Furthermore, occasions when students have an urgent need to contact their parents are very rare. Moreover, if students really need to make phone call, they can always use the public phones provided in their school. Most schools have more than one public phone in their school compound. So, the possibility that all public phones are not functioning at the same time is quite small. However, if all public phones were not functioning and students have an urgent need to make phone calls, they can go to the common room or school office and borrow handphones from their teachers.

         All in all, I personally think that the move to allow students bring their handphones to schools will bring more disadvantages than benefits. Thus, I hope that the Ministry of Education will rethink about the disadvantages before making this decision.