According to the investigation of the CNN the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans), must sanction the Bill that prohibits the use of cell phones in schools in the state.
The PL was approved by the Legislative Assembly of SP (Alesp), on Tuesday (13), with votes from both base and opposition parliamentarians.
Among the educators consulted by CNN the proposal was well received, despite the new legislation not bringing major changes to the current school routine. Rules for restricting electronic devices already exist in most schools.
In a note, the State Department of Education of São Paulo (Seduc-SP) stated that access to applications and platforms without educational purposes is already restricted in public network units.
The legislation approved at Alesp provides for the use of electronic devices for pedagogical purposes.
“We believe that digital education is essential for teaching in the 21st century, and many of our practices already benefit from technology. Our teaching material includes multimedia resources, and several classes are supported by educational applications. The implementation of the law will contribute to educating students about the appropriate use of mobile devices in the school environment, promoting more effective learning”, said Emerson Bento Pereira, Director of Educational Technology at Bandeirantes College, located in the neighborhood of Paraíso, in the south of São Paulo.
The pedagogical coordinator of Elementary School at Mendel Augustinian College Luciane Maia Insuela Garcia, highlighted the socio-emotional benefits of restricting cell phones.
“The school environment must be a space for continuous learning, where students have the opportunity to develop fully, not only intellectually, but also emotionally and socially. Excessive use of cell phones can generate distractions, promote harmful comparisons on social media and even make it difficult to interact with colleagues”, explained Luciane.
According to the coordinator of the school located in the east of the capital, even before the approval of this legislation, the school had already taken the decision to restrict the use of cell phones during school hours.
In the same vein, the College Step, with units in the capital and in the interior, stated that it no longer “allows the use of recreational or communication devices (including cell phones) in the classroom that could divert students’ focus and attention from school dynamics”.
The text of the project approved yesterday determines that schools must provide spaces and establish protocols for students to store their cell phones throughout school hours, if they decide to take their electronic devices with them on school days.
THE Santo Americo College located in the Morumbi neighborhood, in the south of São Paulo, already has similar logistics, as explained by pedagogical director Cláudia Zaclis. There, the use of cell phones is prohibited for all grades up to the 9th year of elementary school, during all school hours, from 8 am to 4:20 pm.
According to the principal, if students take their cell phones to school, they can store the devices in their own lockers along with other school materials, and pick them up at the end of the day. In case of violation of the rule, school staff take cell phones until the end of the day, when they return the equipment to the students. This rule is agreed in advance with parents and students.
“It takes courage to take this measure. We believe it is very important for the socialization and interaction of children, especially at younger ages when they are still developing”, said the director.
THE Visconde Porto Seguro College also in Morumbi, is part of the list of institutions that anticipated the law. There, the restriction on cell phones was implemented gradually.
“The school, as an educational space, needs to involve everyone in this process of raising awareness about not using cell phones. For this reason, the school chose to develop educational work focused on promoting well-being in the school environment, expanding the ‘Disconnect’ project with recreational, sporting and cultural activities at intervals suggested by the students themselves”, recalled Meire Nocito, deducational institutional director of the school.
“Restricting the use of cell phones in schools is a step that can enhance these interactions and improve the academic environment as a whole, promoting education that is more connected to the present and with less technological interference during learning”, concluded the director in reference to law that should be sanctioned in the next few days by the governor of São Paulo.
This content was originally published in Law that bans cell phones should not change the routine of schools in SP, say educators on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m James Harper, a highly experienced and accomplished news writer for World Stock Market. I have been writing in the Politics section of the website for over five years, providing readers with up-to-date and insightful information about current events in politics. My work is widely read and respected by many industry professionals as well as laymen.
