– Finally, someone is speaking clearly and loudly about getting mobile phones out of school. I think I need that, says news program director and screen critic Live Nelvik. Education Minister Kari Nessa Nordtun has ordered what will be “a clear recommendation” for schools to be mobile-free. It is the Norwegian Directorate of Education that has been tasked with drawing up the recommendation. Dagbladet wrote about this first. The newly appointed Minister of Education points out that mobile phones have a negative effect on academic results and lead to bullying and bullying. – The aim is for us to get over this and look at restrictions linked to the use of mobile phones during the school day, she says. Several schools already have a practice today of being mobile-free. Here is a so-called “mobile hotel” at Giske secondary school. Photo: Lise Marit Kalstad / news Will be in place quickly Mobile phone refusal in school has been a hotly debated topic and a debate that has been going on for over ten years. In Norway, it is up to each individual municipality to regulate mobile phone use. In most cases, however, it is the schools themselves that decide this. Former knowledge minister Tonje Brenna has said that a national set of regulations would be to cut everyone across the board. Kari Nessa Nordtun took over the job of former knowledge minister Tonje Brenna in October. Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB But now the smoking hot knowledge minister wants to give a national guideline to schools that mobile phones should be taken out. In the first instance, there is no question of a ban. It will take too long to get in place. Giving a clear recommendation can be done much faster, says Nordtun. – Until two to three months is the goal, she says. Poor performance at school Much research has been done on mobile phone use at school. Among other things, the UN has published a report which shows that there is a clear connection between mobile phones at school, online bullying and poor performance at school. In the report that came out this summer, they wrote that smartphones should be banned in school in order to limit disturbances, strengthen learning and protect children from digital bullying. The Minister of Education also points out that many schools have already introduced various forms of mobile phone restrictions, and that they have had positive experiences with it. news’s investigation from 2019 showed that four out of five schools have a ban on mobile phones. – I can’t come up with a single argument for mobile phones in school, but the advantages of not having mobile phones there is that we give the children their lives back, says Nelvik. – The saddest thing I see is nine-year-olds on their way to school with their noses down in a mobile phone, she adds. “Summer in P2” via her to talk about the screen, and in the series “Live’s educational journey” she looks at how the screen has gained a foothold in our lives. – It is frightening to think that the people who develop our mobile phones do not let their children come near phones, she says. A preview of mixed receptions Kari Nessa Nordtun says that she has already received good feedback from teachers and parents. At the same time, she is prepared that the reception from the students will be mixed. – Isn’t it important that the pupils acquire digital skills that the mobile phone can provide? – It is important, and there are many ways to do it. Now it is primarily important that we ensure that Norwegian pupils actually improve their performance and that bullying decreases. – Then mobile use is precisely one of several tools to ensure this. news has been in contact with the Swedish Education Association, which is not in a position to comment on the case today.
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