Indian school students flout mobile phone ban in Oman

Muscat: Despite a ban, some Indian school students are still bringing mobile phones to school.
In a circular to parents on Sunday, the Principal of Indian School Muscat (ISM), Dr. Rajeev Kumar Chauhan, said: “Recently, it has been observed that a few students had brought mobile phones to school and were warned against it. Students are strictly instructed not to carry mobile phones in school. If any student is found with a mobile phone in school, strict action will be taken.”
School teachers said students were caught using mobile phones in many Indian schools. “Some of them were caught sending WhatsApp messages, while some others were caught playing games,” a teacher said.
In the latest circular to parents, Chauhan said: “With reference to circular number 2, dated July 29, 2009, the guidelines given by Supreme Court of India and the Board of Directors for Indian Schools in Oman and the school rules given in the school dairy on Page 68 under the heading ‘school bag and prohibited items’ point number 5, that students are not supposed to bring mobile phones to schools.”
“In any case, student wants to call his/her parent/transporter, he/she may use the phones available in the offices of the vice-principals, assistant vice principal and in the school office and ‘pay phones’ installed on the school premises,” the circular, issued on August 13, 2017 said. Citing that mobile phones are a “serious cause of distraction and lack of concentration among children,” teachers said: “Students get distracted when they use mobile phones to message or play games. So its usage should be stopped immediately.”
For emergencies
Many students, however, said they felt the need for a cell phone for emergencies. “Though cell phones are not allowed in our school, I continue to carry one as I attend two tuition classes after school hours. So whenever I am late, I can get in touch with my family,” a student at an Indian school said.