A briefing on a €9 million proposal to purchase phone pouches for schools claimed that they were more cost-effective, easier to use, and improved student “equity,” reports Breaking News.
Additionally, according to a Department of Education memo, it avoided placing mobile phones “on display,” which can cause conflict among students over who owned the priciest or most modern gadget.
When asked about their experiences with pouches, six schools responded that they were “very positive” about how well they functioned, reports Breaking News.
According to the briefing, there are half a dozen ways to prevent students from using their phones, such as putting them in school bags, turning them in at a designated spot every day, or utilising lockers.
Other suggestions included mobile lockers in classrooms, transparent phone lockers, etc.
The briefing said: “All schools have indicated that a solution where students retain responsibility for their phones rather than placing them in a central location is preferable,” reports Breaking News.
According to department officials, schools questioned about pouches were paying between €14 and €27 per pouch, with some renting and others purchasing them altogether.
One school that was a “early adopter” of pouches was able to get them for just €11 apiece, according to the briefing, reports Breaking News.
A rough estimate of €20 per bag, according to department officials, would come to about €8.57 million in the first year of operation.
They projected a replacement rate of about 20% year, which would result in an additional €1.7 million in future expenses.
However, it was difficult to pinpoint the exact cost of the phone pouches, according to an internal communication, reports Breaking News.
One message from September said: “It is difficult to get a handle on costs for the systems in place for mobile phone sanctions in schools. I spoke personally with several principals this week and the schemes in place are not uniform, and it seems have changed a lot in a short time in pricing and sales models,” reports Breaking News.
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