A university lecturer and the Acting Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Hikmah University, Associate Professor Saeed Olorunnisola has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to ban the use of mobile phones by students in secondary schools and higher institutions across the country.
This, he said would aid in tackling distractions and examination malpractices being experienced in the schools in the country.
Olorunnisola made this call while speaking at the 2nd National Symposium of Mission for the Eradication of Examination Malpractice (MEEM). The theme was tagged ‘Effects of Examination Malpractices on Education and National Development’. He lamented the misuse of mobile phones by students the secondary and higher institutions across the country.
The don, however, highlighted the benefits of technology in the education sector. But advocated that the use of mobile phones should be discouraged in its entirety.
The Acting Dean, however, advocated the use of laptops and computers by the students.
He said, “Social media is causing distractions in secondary schools. Tertiary institutions are the worst.
“Students don’t care any longer. Some of them are snapping notes and they will not read them. They are usually on social media with their phones. What we have right now is a misuse of technology and it must be taken away.
“We have a university that has banned their undergraduates from using mobile phones. The report we have was that it minimizes distractions. And concentration was better when they took the phones away.
“They give them phones that cannot use the internet but calls and text messages.
“So, I want to advocate too, because we have a place where it is working.
“As a matter of educational policy in Nigeria, the country should make sure there are no phones in our secondary schools and in our tertiary education,” he said.
Another contributor to the discussion, Amir MSSN, Dr. Moshood Kolawole urged stakeholders including policymakers to uphold principles of sincerity and accountability in education.
In his own contributions, the Osun State Education Commissioner, Dipo Eluwole highlighted the effects of examination malpractices in the education sector.
He pointed out that, “it creates a culture of dishonesty. Devaluation of academic credentials and undermine competitiveness in education.