Students study at a high school in Phnom Penh in 2022. Unnecessary phone use has been banned in class. Hong Menea
Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Hang Chuon Naron has issued a directive barring students from using phones or electronic devices in classrooms or during study hours without the permission of teachers.
While acknowledging the importance of the internet and digital content for serving teaching, learning and research needs, the October 24 directive stated that, with the goal of strengthening discipline and increasing the efficient use of electronic devices on school campuses, the capital-provincial education departments shall prohibit students from using phones or electric devices in classrooms during study hours.
“We ban students from using phones or electric devices in ways that do not serve study activities without the permission of teachers,” the minister said of activities associated with videogames, social media apps as well as live streaming or short-form video-making platforms.
The ministry advised school management to conduct regular instruction on regulations and control the use of such devices in ways that do not align with educational purposes.
“All youth councils should advise their members to focus on their studies rather than spend time playing games and checking feeds on social media. The councils need to encourage them to cultivate a habit of self-study, reading and researching in libraries and should establish after-school study clubs, according to their levels and subjects,” added the notification.
Kong Samneang, head of the Federation of Education Services in Cambodia, said on October 25 that using electronic devices is neither positive nor negative. He supported the instruction to tighten discipline and the quality of education.
“We have recently seen that phones being used in ways that promoted unrest and antisocial behaviour. Certain students captured fights and threatening activities on their phones and their images spread on social media, showing education in a negative way. In the context of using digital systems for learning and teaching, we must be flexible and establish clear protocols,” he said.
He suggested that educational departments at the sub-national level follow the instructions closely, in order to prevent students from wasting study time.
The ministry also advised parents and guardians to monitor students’ use of electronic devices and encourage their use in ways that contribute to furthering their education.
