Ban on mobile phones in SHSs should never cease – GhanaWeb social media polls reveal

Some Senior High School students in their school dormitory

The Ghana Education Service (GES) for some years now, has prohibited the use of mobile phones in primary and secondary schools; a move, they believe will help students concentrate more on their studies.

According to GES, the uncontrolled use of mobile phones by the students has had a negative impact on their education, since they waste valuable time on social media platforms.

GhanaWeb has explored beyond the stance of the GES to find out from the general public by organizing a social media poll on Facebook and Twitter, the two most widely used social media platforms in the country.

At the end of the 3-day polls which was organized between February 17, 2020 and February 20, 2020, 884 Facebook respondents, representing 68% out of the about 1,300 people who voted supported the GES’s directive to ban the senior high students from using the device in schools.

The results of the polls on Twitter were no different as the GES received a ringing endorsement to continue the ban of mobile phones in Senior High Schools.

About 163 respondents on Twitter, representing 73.2% of the total of the 224 people who voted said ‘No’ to mobile phones being used in Senior High Schools.

Some social media users could not help to share their thoughts in the polls’ comment section. One user said he does not see the problem once they do not use the mobile phones in class.

“As long as they don't use it in class, what is the problem? Ghana should get balls and phase out the boarding system by bringing schools closer to the students. Parents should be responsible for training their wards and teachers concentrate on classroom affairs,” – @dmenzah

To another social media user, the use of mobile phones with the availability of the internet for research purposes cannot be overlooked by the GES.

“.. The phone itself is library for the students,” Nana Akosah said on Facebook.

View the poll results below: