Dutch schoolchildren’s results continue to decline, which is why smartphones should be banned from the school building. Ingrid Scotten and Alexander Renoy disputed this opinion in the Volkswagen Krant.
The performance of Dutch schoolchildren has declined sharply in the past fifteen years. It is measured every three years by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This decrease can also be observed in other countries, but the decrease was not as large as in the Netherlands.
Several countries preceded the Netherlands
Since the smartphone appeared during the same period, it is now believed to be the main culprit. France was the first country to ban the smartphone from the school building, but Belgium, Germany, England, Switzerland, Canada, India and Australia have also introduced similar legislation. According to Alexander Renoy Kahn, University of Amsterdam affiliated and geographer Ingrid Schotten, who has taught geography for 27 years, it is time for the Netherlands to do the same.
Crazy problem
Toon Van Habrin, a high school teacher, is not very keen on cell phone blocking. “The idea that all kids are busy with their phones is of course nonsense,” he says in Goedemorgen Nederland on NPO 1.
Van Habrin also knows that “educational presentations go down a lot”. In 2010, 10 percent were reading poorly by age 15, so that’s now 25 percent. It has already gotten much worse. So there is a crazy problem. ”According to Van Haberen, who teaches at Rethophius College in Ercel, this has more to do with“ very poor education policy ”and the lack of teachers more than a phone call.“ This is not the thing, ”he says.
Van Haberen thinks that a teacher can easily control students’ use of smartphones. ”Then one teacher said,“ Are we completely crazy? The teacher can really make sure that the phone is not checked. ”
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Written by: Marinka Wagmans
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