Plans to spend £250,000 as part of a plan to prevent pupils using mobile phones in the north’s schools have been criticised as “hard to fathom”.
Stormont justice minister and Alliance leader Naomi Long hit out at a proposal by her Executive colleague Paul Givan to spend the sum on magnetic pouches, which will be used in a pilot scheme involving 10 schools.
The education minister said he is inviting schools to take part in the scheme, which would see pupils’ phones placed in a pouch that would be sealed at the start of each day.
“Changes around phone use in schools can make the world of difference in our classrooms,” Mr Givan said.
“Restricting their use during the school day allows children to better concentrate, engage and learn, as well as enjoying ‘phone-free’ break and lunchtimes so they can play, have fun, participate in sports and socialise with their friends.”
However, Ms Long questioned the cost of the pilot scheme in a post to the X social media platform.
“At a time when resources are so stretched in the public sector, this expenditure is hard to fathom,” she said.
“Not only do most schools already have policies in place to deal with this issue but each mobile comes with an off switch which is absolutely free.”
A number of schools in Britain have already trialled the pouches, which require a special key code to open at the end of the day.
Among reported benefits, one school in Bedfordshire has found cases of cyberbullying had fallen by 72 percent since the scheme began.
