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The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) today asked the Education Ministry to clarify its ban on teachers bringing in mobile phones to the classrooms.
In a statement, its secretary-general Harry Tan pointed out that as the profession headed towards 21st-century learning methods, most of the educational materials were enhanced by mobile phones.
"In fact, the government has distributed YES mobile phones to all teachers nationwide to help them improve methods of teaching to their students.
"The government has also equipped 10,000 schools nationwide with 4G Internet access, as well as virtual learning platforms that gives access to integrated learning," Tan said.
He was responding to Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan's reported remarks in Utusan Malaysia that teachers will not be allowed to bring their mobile phones into classrooms.
Instead, the devices should be kept in the Teachers Rooms, he had said.
Given the advantages of the use of mobile phones for teaching, Tan asked for a clarification on Kamalanathan's proposal.
"How about the distribution of the YES mobile phones to teachers. Should that be stopped too?" he asked.
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In a statement later, Kamalanathan offered his clarification on the remark, saying teachers are allowed to bring their phones to the school but the usage of the device must only be after school hours and during free periods, so they do not cause disturbance to the teaching and learning process.
"In today's learning environment, teachers can obviously use their phones to integrate using the 21st-century technology and methodology.
"Teachers play a pivotal part in our education system and I'm sure they optimize their phones to enrich teaching and learning quality. In fact, I personally know many teachers who use their own phone's data plans for the benefit of their students and I encourage and applaud their noble efforts."
In a separate statement, NUTP also expressed regret over the death of M Vasantha Piriya, 13, a student of a school in Nibong Tebal, Penang, who committed suicide after being accused by one of her teachers of stealing her mobile phone.
Tan said following the teen's death, the teacher involved and her husband, who is also a teacher, had received hate messages and even death threats.
According to Tan, NUTP will leave it to the police to conduct an investigation into the matter and he reminded teachers to always be vigilant of their students' behaviour.
If they notice something amiss, they are to abide by the existing standard operating procedures, he added.- Mkini
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