Allowing handphones in school uncalled for

Twitterjaya has apparently shot down the recent proposal by the Education Ministry to allow mobile phones and other electronic gadgets to be brought to school.

While there are indeed those who support the proposal, but unlike those who oppose it, they fail to back it with any reason, apart from expressing pure excitement to the thought of such actions are no longer punishable by the headmaster.

The majority in Twitterjaya, however, are finding it hard to comprehend the logic behind such a proposal.

And these are some of their tweets:

Nurul Farahain @farahsahudin: We survived our school days without handphones. And I think they can as well. This is not supposed to be an issue.

Muhammad Nazmi @nazmigendutt: Handphones and iPads to school? No more UPSR and PMR? I pray for the future generation.

Yusuf @hazardgeek: No more ‘galah panjang', ‘police and thief', ‘main kejar-kejar' during recess. They'll spend recess with handphones. Boring kids.

Fakhira Mukhtar @FakhiraMukhtar: If handphones are allowed in school, more students won't know how to socialise in real life and flirt via text, and will never make a real move.

Aiesyah @aiesyahmustafa: Instead of allowing us to bring handphones to school, they should consider giving each of us a locker.

DNN G @DeliaGallagherr: Uhh, I think majority of the students will abuse the privileges of bringing handphones to school.

NO FIT H @LeAwesomeGhah: I don't think allowing students to bring handphones to school is a good idea. Dear PM, you're actually destroying the young generation's future.

Kyra Tee @SyakirahTee: I'm totally not agree about the new rule that students can bring their phone to school.

Faizal Dardin @faizaldardin: Reading here and there, convinced that the decision to allow mobile phones to school really uncalled for.

Radziman Mazlan @ajimmzln: Mobile phones to be allowed in school starting next year? yeah, we're seeing the demise of quality in education.

Stephen Doss @stephendoss: Mobile phones in school, another object to reinforce class distinction between the haves and the have nots.

The KaV Knight Rises @kavilan: Personal mobile phones at school can widen distinction of social class. What about those who can't afford one? Peer pressure, anyone?

Wong Zhiwei @WongZhiwei: No point allowing mobile phones in school.

F13 @M5_n1t3g4m3r: Hmm, interesting. Looks like the *&^%$ might allow us to bring our mobile phones next year to school.

Erna Nadia @erenyeahyeahh: Not sure if the government is stupid or I just can't see the benefits of bringing mobile phones to school.

Anonymous @asyrafzabani: Our education system is getting messed up. Kids can bring mobile phones to school now? What's next? They're allowed to bring TV? PS3? Xbox?

Darshini Raj @DashAdore: Wah, students can bring mobile phones to school! But what for? I disagree 1,000%!

Syana's @SyazanaAriffin: Mobile phones to school? Not funny, sure to pay attention to phones rather than the teachers.

Jason Chua @chuajason96: Apparently mobile phones are finally being allowed at schools in Malaysia? SMH (shake my head) at the Malaysian school system.

Zaza Azahar @ZZazot: Seriously, I can write an essay about why mobile phones should be banned to school.

AM Ridzuan @RidzuanAM: Many teachers don't agree (with the proposal of) pupils (being) allowed to bring mobile phones to school.

Lavishya Ratti @LavishyaR: Mobile phones allowed in school next year? Gone lah. Students will surely abuse the advantage.

Mohd Rafshamjani @Rafshamjani: Aku kurang happy dgn student dbenarkn bwk hp sbrnye. Time tuition pn aku tension tgk dorg texting, ni plak klau during school hours.

(I am unhappy with the proposal to allow students to bring mobile phones to school. I'm stressed seeing students text during tuition hours, what more in schools.)

Wooing the teens?

Though the move can be seen as a way for the government to gain popularity among students, the implications are far too severe to ignore.

The arguments against mobile phones being brought to school stretches beyond that it is merely a distraction.

More serious issues come into play when one considers the probable rise of property theft in schools. The culture of stealing erasers and pencil boxes could potentially be replaced by the more lucrative industry of iPad and smartphone theft.

Also the rise of vanity in schools like never before with the placement of socio-economic barriers within the school's eco-system separating the haves from the have-nots.

Twitterjaya raises points that make it seem as if the Education Ministry might not be all into education at the moment, but rather more interested in pacifying a group of teens.