Much ado about pupils taking to school

WHEN pupils in boarding houses are going back to school after mid term or during resumption of a new
term at the point of entry before the child proceeds to his or her dormitory, the child is being searched and checked thoroughly by the boarding house master or mistress to make sure he is not in possession of some items the school authority call “contra ban”.
  At the checking spot words such as where are your phones, sardines, geisha or any tinned foods tagged as contra ban keep echoing from mouths of boarding house masters or mistresses. Some house masters while checking are furious which makes, the pupil being checked if guilty brings out the contra ban in his possession. But out of all these, the item mostly frowned at is the cell phone.
  What would you rather go a week without; your cell phone or toothbrush. We are addicted to our cellphones. According to experts students are by far the worst offenders sending more texts a day than any other age group.
  Everyone, it seems has a cellphone. Youngsters rely on their cellphones for communication with parents , friends, entertainment with games and music downloads. And like most adults children take their phones with them everywhere they go. Each technology has its own advantages and disadvantages.
  In today's society mobile phones are really essential in our daily activity. But it does not mean that one cannot live a life without mobile phone.
  Students and pupils having mobile phones have advantages and disadvantages.
  Students can improve themselves with the help of mobile phones meanwhile the same students can spoil their lives with the same mobile phone. It all depends on how they use mobile phones.
Advancements are constantly being made in the technology world, and cellphones are most definitely at the forefront. Some believe that cellphones are essential to life, while others think mobile phones can be a threat.
  Technology has changed almost everything. With the internet and our mobile devices, everyone is now connected. Cellphones have become a necessity, more than just a luxury. With the present connectivity in the society do students need a cellphone in school?
  A Psychologist, Ada Kamelu opined that cellphone technology is here to stay but keeping up with the changes is not easy. She informed that having a cell phone in school comes with many advantages but not without negative things that come with it.
  According to her having a mobile phone can cause distraction in the classroom and to the student himself.
  “Everytime a message comes in or a phone vibrates, the first reaction is to stop what one is doing, including listening to a teacher's lesson and answer the call or check the text. Learning can be hampered by allowing  this type of distraction”, she noted.
  She affirmed that there is nothing wrong for a student to have mobile phones in the school but it should be restricted.
Contributing, a teacher Mr Ogbonna noted that though the advantages of students using phones are numerous but the disadvantages should not be overlooked. Ogbonna, informed that allowing cellphones in schools invite the risk of theft.
  “Many smartphones can be particularly appealing targets to criminals who can remove or extract user data and resell the phones. Keeping students' phones out of the school eliminate the risk of theft”, he observed.
  Continuing, he noted that students face a lot of distraction making them not to be interested in their studies.
  Also speaking a parent Onny Okeke, said that while there are several significant disadvantages to allowing cellphones in schools there are some legitimate reasons why mobiles should be used in schools.
  According to her one of the benefits is that it allows parents to communicate with their children and wards at anytime. She recalled that in the past, parents often never bothered about the whereabouts of their children until they came home but with cellphones, parents can check on their children.
  She observed that with mobile phones students can know the happenings around the globe and get themselves updated.
A teacher, Chito Iheme condemned the use of mobile phones in schools by students saying that such device aids cheating. Mr Iheme observed that cellphones in recent times were getting more scientific and students are so adept at using them. He also