Oyo Assembly moves to outlaw use of mobile phones by students in public schools

The Oyo State House of Assembly is taking steps to outlaw the use of mobile phones by students in public schools across the 33 local government areas.

A lawmaker representing Akinyele 1 State Constituency, Hon. Olalekan Abiola, in a motion titled “The Need to Ban the Use of Mobile Phones in Secondary Schools in the State”, appealed to the State Government to enforce the ban during school hours.

Hon. Abiola stated that the ban would have a positive effect on the academic performance of students.

The motion, which was moved during the plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, on Tuesday, highlighted that while mobile phones serve as important communication tools, their misuse among secondary school students has led to negative behavioural patterns. These include increased cases of truancy, peer influence in harmful activities, and a decline in the reading culture.

“The use of mobile phones in secondary schools has become a growing concern, as it contributes to distractions during learning hours, reduces students’ focus on academics, and promotes indiscipline,” the motion stated.

“Students have gone as far as smuggling mobile phones into examination halls to cheat, undermining the credibility of academic assessments. The unrestricted access to mobile phones has also contributed to rising cases of cyberbullying, sexting, and exposure to inappropriate materials, which negatively influence students’ behaviour.”

Hon. Abiola further suggested the need for school authorities to establish official communication channels that would allow parents to reach their wards in emergencies without disrupting learning activities.

The House has directed its Standing Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary) to engage all relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education, the Agency for Mobilisation, the Ministry of Information, and others, for dialogue. The aim is to work out the modalities for curbing the use of mobile phones in both private and public secondary schools across the state.

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