Ireland’s primary school pupils don’t need smartphones, says the Department of Education
Dublin: The Irish Department of Education has put forth a proposal aimed at discouraging parents from allowing their children to use smartphones while attending primary schools in Ireland. Education Minister Norma Foley is scheduled to present the draft of these official proposals during a cabinet meeting today. In 2018, research conducted by the ESRI revealed that 54% of nine-year-old children in Ireland owned mobile phones.
The government intends to issue new guidelines to all primary schools as a measure to safeguard the well-being and health of children. This initiative is inspired by a successful model implemented in eight primary schools in Greystones, County Wicklow, where parents collectively agreed not to purchase smartphones for their children during their primary school years.
The motivation behind this governmental action stems from concerns that primary school children may be vulnerable to unhealthy influences and exposure to violent or sexual content when navigating the digital realm.
Minister Foley emphasised that while many schools have already prohibited smartphone use within their premises, the most significant concern lies in what transpires after school hours. The new policy also seeks to raise awareness among parents about the risks associated with young children using smartphones.
Irish Samachar English News
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