The Acting Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Hikmah University, Associate Professor Saeed Olorunnisola has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to ban the use of mobile phones in secondary schools and higher institutions to tackle distractions and examination malpractices.
Speaking at the 2nd National Symposium of Mission for the Eradication of Examination Malpractice (MEEM) tagged ‘Effects of Examination Malpractices on Education and National Development’ Olorunnisola lamented over the misuse of use of mobile phones by students.
However, he highlighted the benefits of technology in the education sector but advocated that the use of mobile phones should be discouraged in its entirety and the use of laptops and computers be encouraged for students.
He said: “Social media is causing distractions in secondary schools. Tertiary institutions are the worst. Students don’t care any longer. Some of them are snapping notes and they will not read them. They are usually on social media with their phones. What we have right now is a misuse of technology and it must be taken away.
“We have a university that has banned their undergraduates from using mobile phones. The report we have was that it minimises distractions and concentration was better when they took the phones away.
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“They give them phones that cannot use the internet but calls and text messages. So, I want to advocate too, because we have a place where it is working, as a matter of educational policy in Nigeria, the country should make sure there are no phones in our secondary schools and in our tertiary education.”
The Amir MSSN, Dr. Moshood Kolawole urged stakeholders including policymakers to uphold principles of sincerity and accountability in education.
Also, the Osun State Education Commissioner, Dipo Eluwole highlighted the effects of examination malpractices in the education sector, saying, “it creates a culture of dishonesty, devaluation of academic credentials and undermine competitiveness in education.”