ID :
43430
Fri, 01/30/2009 - 21:35
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/43430
The shortlink copeid
Survey: cellphone bans spreading through Japanese schools
TOKYO, Jan. 30 Kyodo - Students across Japan have had dramatically fewer chances of pulling out their handsets at school as government-led bans on cellphone use are penetrating deeper among the country's public schools, a recent education ministry survey found Friday.
Mobile phone use by students is totally or partially banned at 20,527
elementary schools, or 94 percent of the schools surveyed, and 9,936 junior
highs, or 99 percent, according to the first-ever nationwide poll of its kind
conducted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and
Technology.
Of the total, 11,636 elementary schools, or 57 percent, and 5,105 junior highs,
or 51 percent, allow students to use a limited range of functions such as
simple phone calls based on parents' requests.
The survey found that high school students have generally received lenient
bans, with 20 percent, or 887 schools, saying they fully or partially restrict
cellphone use.
Moves to prohibit students' mobile phone use have spread widely since the
administration of then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe prioritized the issue during
his one-year tenure from September 2006 amid an increase in the number of cyber
crimes against children.
On Friday, the education ministry called anew for local education authorities
nationwide to maintain the prohibition, at least partially, or follow the move
by schools where bans have yet to be put in place.
Concerned that ''cyberbullying'' is becoming rampant, the ministry also
demanded that municipalities move forward with efforts to foster the moral
development of students over how to handle cyber information and to set
guidelines for Internet and cellphone use at home.
''Imposing bans at school does not mean that there are fewer victims of
bullying or crimes, and what we expect is that (local authorities) will press
ahead with measures to protect children,'' a ministry official said.
Education Minister Ryu Shionoya voiced his continued support for the ban.
''I don't see any particular reasons for allowing students to bring cellphones
with them to school,'' Shionoya said. ''Personally, I think the adverse effects
from their use of cellphones could be greater than the actual need for them to
use them.''
==Kyodo
Mobile phone use by students is totally or partially banned at 20,527
elementary schools, or 94 percent of the schools surveyed, and 9,936 junior
highs, or 99 percent, according to the first-ever nationwide poll of its kind
conducted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and
Technology.
Of the total, 11,636 elementary schools, or 57 percent, and 5,105 junior highs,
or 51 percent, allow students to use a limited range of functions such as
simple phone calls based on parents' requests.
The survey found that high school students have generally received lenient
bans, with 20 percent, or 887 schools, saying they fully or partially restrict
cellphone use.
Moves to prohibit students' mobile phone use have spread widely since the
administration of then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe prioritized the issue during
his one-year tenure from September 2006 amid an increase in the number of cyber
crimes against children.
On Friday, the education ministry called anew for local education authorities
nationwide to maintain the prohibition, at least partially, or follow the move
by schools where bans have yet to be put in place.
Concerned that ''cyberbullying'' is becoming rampant, the ministry also
demanded that municipalities move forward with efforts to foster the moral
development of students over how to handle cyber information and to set
guidelines for Internet and cellphone use at home.
''Imposing bans at school does not mean that there are fewer victims of
bullying or crimes, and what we expect is that (local authorities) will press
ahead with measures to protect children,'' a ministry official said.
Education Minister Ryu Shionoya voiced his continued support for the ban.
''I don't see any particular reasons for allowing students to bring cellphones
with them to school,'' Shionoya said. ''Personally, I think the adverse effects
from their use of cellphones could be greater than the actual need for them to
use them.''
==Kyodo
