SCHOOLS TO SEIZE MOBILE PHONES ON STUDENTS

PUTRAJAYA, March 18 (Bernama) -- Beginning Wednesday, school authorities will seize mobile phones which students bring to school, Deputy Education Minister Dr Wee Ka Siong said Tuesday.

The confiscated phones could only be claimed by the parents, he said.

Dr Wee said the rule that prohibited students from bringing mobile phones to
school was already in place but never enforced as some schools were reluctant to
take action.

Nevertheless, the rule should be enforced immediately as it was related to
discipline and the phones could disrupt the teaching and learning process, he
said after chairing a meeting on student indiscipline, here.

"Fights usually break out among students if a mobile phone belonging to one
of them suddenly disappears. Via the mobile phones, the students can also send
and receive sensitive materials during lessons," he said.

Dr Wee said that in case of emergencies, parents could still contact their
children via the school number and vice versa.

Meanwhile, he said, indiscipline among students was under control and had
declined from 2.13 per cent in 2006 to 2.08 per cent last year.

"The rate of suspension of students from school has also declined, to 0.11
per cent in 2008 from 0.37 per cent in 2007, while only 0.05 per cent were
expelled in 2008 compared to 0.18 per cent in 2007," he said, adding that caning
of students would also continue to be implemented.

-- BERNAMA