Srinagar, June 13: Despite a ban on the use of mobile phones by schoolchildren in educational institutions, the students use the gadgets–drawing criticism from various quarters –particularly school heads who have gone strict against the menace.
 The issue has taken such a serious turn that some of the City schools have come up with code-of-conduct on regular frisking of the “pampered lot” and subsequent fining.
 “It is for the welfare of the students that the school is taking disciplinary actions of fining and frisking which should not be misunderstood and misinterpreted,” states a notification recently issued by leading private school for boys.
 The school principal said the students used mobile phones even during the classrooms adding that the fining and frisking clause in the public notification pertained to the cell phones.
 And believe it or not, the kids carry some chic sets like the I-Phones and the Blackberry worth 20 to 30 thousand rupees to their schools. This is what the principal of a higher secondary school in west City discovered some days ago during surprise inspection.
 “We collected dozens of phones during the inspection,” he said adding the students used the phones for shooting video films and photographs apart from making calls and texting.
 When the parents of the accused were called to the school, there was a shocking revelation.
 “We don’t know from where he (ward) managed procuring this costly set,” responded a parent at Soura school whose son was caught using Blackberry.
 Pertinently, some three year ago the then Director Education, Muhammad Rafi had imposed a blanket ban on the use of mobile phone by children at schools while the teachers could use the facility outside classrooms.
 The ban had reportedly come to force in the wake of a porn MMS allegedly filmed by schoolchildren in New Delhi that time.
 The ban on cell usage, the Director Education, Shagufta Parveen said, is still in force.
 “I haven’t received any complaint from any quarter in this regard. But if there are any violations, the concerned school heads should seize it(mobile) there and then,” the Director Education told Greater Kashmir.
 Some of the schools in the City like Burn Hall at Sonawar and Green Valley Educational Institute at Soura have already started taking disciplinary measures against the offenders.
 The Green Valley Educational Institute, Chairman, Muhammad Yousuf Wani confirmed the development.
 “Let’s not fight the menace only because of official ban but let there be a ban on mobile usage at schools on humanitarian grounds,” Yousuf told Greater Kashmir.
 Interestingly, despite frisking some kids are reluctant to carry mobile along to the school.
 “Fed up of the stubborn behavior we got broke some of the mobile phones to pieces,” said a school principal, pleading anonymity. The school action had triggered protests from the students.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 13 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST