School Smartphone Ban: Sensible Step, Tough Execution

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21, 2025: Lately, stories of school fights, bullying, and violent acts among students have flooded the news. It’s worrying — and the government’s latest move to tackle it has reignited debate among parents, teachers, and the public alike.

Let’s be honest — the idea of banning smartphones for students under 16 is long overdue. We’ve seen how social media, online games, and toxic digital trends are shaping young minds in ways that teachers and parents can barely keep up with.

If phones are fuelling distraction, bullying, and even violent behaviour, then yes — something drastic needs to be done.

But here’s the catch: banning phones won’t magically fix what’s broken. The real problem isn’t the device — it’s how we use it, and how little guidance kids get about digital responsibility. Take away their phones, and they’ll just find another screen to escape to at home.

Instead of treating smartphones as the enemy, we should teach children to manage them wisely. Restrict phone use during school hours, yes — but also empower students to understand what’s harmful online. And parents? They need to step up too. School violence doesn’t start with a phone; it starts with behaviour that’s left unchecked at home.

So while I support the government’s move, it must go beyond control to education. Otherwise, we’re just silencing the symptom — not curing the cause.

Perhaps this proposal will mark a turning point — if it pushes us to look deeper at what our children really need: guidance, empathy, and stronger family engagement. Technology is part of the world they live in; the challenge is teaching them to use it, not be ruled by it.