MOE will consider feedback on cell phone bans in schools

• By Lin Wen-hsin and Lery Hiciano / Staff Reporter, with Staff Writer

The Ministry of Education (MOE) would consider civic groups’ growing concerns about cellphone use in schools and promote any legislation passed by the Legislative Yuan, Vice Minister of Education Chang Liao Wan-chien (張廖萬堅) said yesterday.

The Education and Culture Committee of the Legislative Yuan yesterday held a hearing on the issue of cell phone addiction among students.

At the meeting, groups of teachers advocated for the Ministry of Education to establish unified regulations for all schools, while groups of students pressed for clear guidelines for the use of cell phones that do not result in the confiscation of devices.

Photo: CNA

Although schools have implemented some rules regarding students’ use of phones at school, many students do not fully comply or keep a second phone hidden, said Kaohsiung Teachers’ Union deputy director Lee Ya-wen (李雅文).

She recommended that the ministry provide explicit guidelines and develop policies to prohibit the use of telephones for secondary and lower school students or implement school-wide management systems.

Asia University Vice President and Psychology Professor Ko Hui-chen (柯慧貞) said excessive screen time can lead to shorter attention spans, which in the long run can affect cognitive functions and potentially lead to emotional, behavioral and sleep problems.

EdYouth co-founder Lee Ruei-lin (李瑞霖), a political science student at National Taiwan University, said students are not opposed to consistent guidelines and uniformity across schools, but unilateral restrictions on phone use would cause resentment among students who are digitally savvy and accustomed to the fast pace of modern society.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Fan Yun (范雲) cited a UNESCO report from July last year, which stated that while phones can help with learning, they are often a source of distraction.

Fan cited how several European countries, such as Sweden, Germany, France and Belgium, are moving to restrict phone use in schools, especially for younger students.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmaker Hung Mong-kai (洪孟楷) said phone addiction is a social issue that requires cooperation between the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Wellbeing.

Chang said that based on public feedback showing a preference for regulations, the Ministry of Education would conduct a policy review and support the new legislation if it were passed.

The Action Alliance on Basic Education also called for government regulations to help teachers and parents reduce students’ screen time and prevent harm to children’s development.

Alliance President Wang Han-yang (王瀚陽) said in a statement that young Taiwanese people are facing a serious mental health crisis, citing international research that shows technology addiction and excessive screen time can negatively impact anxiety, depression, attention span and sleep patterns.

Wang recommended that relevant ministries work together to develop guidelines based on recommendations from international experts: preschool-age children should avoid cell phones entirely, elementary school students should be limited to one hour of phone use per day, and high school students limited to two hours of screen time per day, with no screen time before bed.