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Harare Bureau
PUPILS are allowed to use smartphones that enable them to research for learning purposes only while ordinary mobile phones remain banned,” Primary and Secondary Education Minister Lazarus Dokora said yesterday.

He made the remarks in the Senate while responding to a question from Zanu-PF representative for Mashonaland Central Cde Damian Mumvuri who sought to know if the ministry consulted parents and school authorities on major policy changes particularly the use of cellphones by pupils at school.

Dokora said his ministry consulted all stakeholders as evidenced by their involvement in the crafting of the curriculum review.

“The ministry has not made comments on the use of cellphones because they are dysfunctional in a learning order,” he said.

“There’s policy in the use and embracing of technologies such as smartphones, laptops, iPads and tablets. Desktops are still welcome but quiet clearly, technologies are evolving as the honourable senators do know.

“Smartphones, tablets etc, are a good source of information. We’ve students researching on various subjects under the control and guidance of professionals. These professionals are fully in control. Every behaviour in cyberspace is rule-governed or controlled by codes or passwords to enter various spaces.”

Dokora once torched a storm when it appeared as if he had suggested that pupils must be allowed to use mobile phones at school.

MPs raised concern that allowing mobile phones would expose schoolchildren to undesirable content such as pornographic material.

Responding to another question on what the government was doing to school authorities who chase pupils away from school for failure to pay fees, Dokora said if caught, such authorities would be punished.

He implored opinion leaders in communities to encourage parents to pay school fees for their children so that schools can also function properly.