Normas latest Publicity idea

noplacehere

what is everyone else’s thoughts on the latest phone pouch €9 million?

Our school have introduced a complete ban on them this year based on legal advice about removing a device from a student. Student on phone. If we take it and anything happens on the way home it’s a potential child safety issue. So it went for ratification last year to BOM- Year book and immediate suspension. Phones have overnight disappeared once parents realised the consequence.

€9 million on phone pouches when we need capitation increases, there are over 100 kids without any school place and we all have buildings in need of maintenance or prefabs etc is completely bonkers IMO

Treppen

The main thing is that some company will get a sweet contract and someone will get a nice junket overseas to see how a pouch works

am_zarathustra

Few schools around already have them. By and large they work if implemented correctly. All the training ect was done online on zoom. The simplicity of the design and the fact the kids still have the phone, they just can't use it during school hours makes them quite attractive, stops parents contacting the kids too. In the grand scheme, 9mil is very little. I'd imagine it suits the government to have everyone taking about pouches.

Choochtown

A few thoughts on this:

1. Who is expected to supervise (perhaps over 1000) students every morning and afternoon depositing and removing phones from pouches? Not to mention the students who arrive late or have to leave during a school day.
2. Do people really think a student doesn't have another phone to put in the pouch?
3. New smart watches and smart glasses can do all the same things as a mobile phone. Is there another few million available in 3 years time for watch pouches?
4. No school I know of has a problem with mobile phones being used within a classroom. If they do then it is a general discipline issue not something that requires a 9 million euro spend. The media narrative this week would make you think the students are all surfing social media sites whilst the teacher is trying to educate.
5. Phones can be really useful in classroom situations if used under teacher instruction. Lots of real-time quiz apps to engage the students. Lots of free measuring apps for science projects (sound meters/ light meters etc etc). Lots of scope for research and immediate answers for enquiring minds. The very skills the new Junior Cert course is trying to promote.
6. Phones are essential for some students for medical reasons. eg. Diabetic students and students with heart conditions. Those students having an exemption from using the pouches will lead to issues going forward.

French Toast

A good phone policy being implemented correctly is the answer.

Joe286

Amazing. I started a thread on this already. Totally ignored. In this forum.

Well feck you all!!

Joe286

It's not a huge issue. In my school. Given appalling student behavior which is routinely ignored by the media and Sociey - it's handy to let kids have them when supervising. Avoids them acting like pricks

Oh yeah I could write a report if I thought anything serious would happen

ethical

Fair play to Norma…a great diversionary tactic from the real issues(which she cannot sort and wouldn't even bother to in anycase).Why are we still seeing ETBs advertising 2 AND 3 HOUR TEACHING CONTRACTS.Perhaps the teacher who gets this type of contract will purchase one of these pouches……………if they can afford it on pay day.(Its about all they 'll be able to afford!)

How does this teacher propose to pay rent on a 3 hour contract?

How does this teacher propose to travel to and from school on a 3 hour contract?

Norma,get real and sort the real problems out.(Infact Norma I reckon the advertisement of such low hour contracts breach advertising standards.)

Any school that is well run does not have issues with mobile phones if there is respect both ways.

Choochtown

No wonder the general public are of the opinion that teachers cannot keep order in their classrooms.

Norma's latest teacher-bashing tweet contains this nugget … "so that students are no longer glued to their phones during the school day"

Lest we forget this is the minister that kept unlicenced hand sanitiser (€300000 worth) in our schools for 2 whole days after finding out it had adverse health effects.

How she is still in a job with the leeway to chuck away 9 million euro of our money is nothing short of astonishing.

tscul32

In our school the students have iPads so no reason to access phones. They have to be left in their lockers in the morning and not to be touched until going home. Trouble if you're caught with one. I've never seen a student with a phone.

Treppen

Pouches work a treat in our school. Best thing ever. Haven't seen a phone all day except for the usual chancers.