Srinagar, Sep 10:  Listening to music, watching movies, netsurfing or social networking; activities like these are allegedly taking place at some schools in the City in violation of norms as students carry mobile phones and other similar gadgets to the educational institutions. This is despite Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK)’s ban on carrying of such electronic lot by children to schools.
 More of such complaints have poured in from leading educational institutions in the City while those carrying the costly smart phones allegedly belong to influential families.
 Such students, as per complainants, spend their school break timings watching movies or listening to music. “And in the classrooms too they manage to use it for social networking on sites like Facebook,” said a teacher at a leading English medium school in the City.
 She said the trend was being “fuelled by the children of influential parents who take no note of complaints of child behaviour from the school side.”
 “Basically parents of such children enjoy good relations with the school authorities because of which indiscipline goes worst,” said a female teacher.
 The school authorities however refute reports of giving “any relaxation to children of influential parents.”
 “We try to maintain discipline and this is why we undertake regular inspections,” a school principal said.
 Last week Burn Hall Higher Secondary School Sonawar seized mobile phones and other electronic gadgets from students during inspection.
 As about Tyndale Biscoe another leading school, in the City centre, its authorities equally admitted that some students were being caught brining mobile phones to school.
 “We hold regular inspections and confiscate any such lot,” said a senior official in the Tyndale Biscoe school administration. He however said it was more of a “social problem that needs to be addressed by parents.” “Vigilance by parents also needs to be geared up,” he said.
 A senior official in the DSEK while upholding ban on the use of mobile phones said schools would be asked to strictly adhere to the norms. “The ban will be enforced in letter and spirit… Moreover there’s also a ban on use of mobiles by teachers in classrooms. This will also be taken care of,” he said adding inspections would be started soon.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 10 Sep 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 10 Sep 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:00:00 IST