The Concerned Parents and Educators (CPE) Facebook community is abuzz with heated debates following a controversial incident involving the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) of an undisclosed school.
The incident, which was captured in a viral video shared by CPE member Adedeji Agunbiade Dbnbbeat, depicts PTA members supervising the destruction of students’ mobile phones as a punitive measure for their poor performance in examinations.
The video has sparked a torrent of reactions within the CPE community, polarizing parents, educators, and school authorities.
The primary contention revolves around the appropriateness and effectiveness of the PTA’s drastic action.
Divided Reactions
Princess Adeola Tope voiced her disapproval, stating, “Parents who buy and give teens phones are not helping them at all. But I don’t appreciate this act of destroying phones; they could have been seized. Medicine after death.”
Frank Chijioke questioned the PTA’s approach, “Why are they putting the poor academic performance on the students alone, without looking at the teachers’ attitude towards teaching? Have they also looked at the teaching methods of the teachers? I believe they will surely regret their actions one day. Nigerians and low mentality.”
Babajide Ajayi acknowledged the distraction posed by phones but criticized the wasteful destruction: “Really, phones are distractions to children, but at the same time it doesn’t add up destroying the device in this manner because it is a sheer waste of resources in these hard times. Instead, there should be strict rules against bringing phones to school, and parents should seize the phones whenever they discover it becoming a distraction to their kids.”
Ibrahim Qudus maintained, “If this story is true, anyways. Both the parents and school have concluded that phone is the principal reason for their failure. Why is the school not punishing itself for letting the phone come into school in the first place? Why are the parents also not punishing themselves for handing over the phones to their children. Have they being taught digital citizenship cum responsibility? What happens to giving them out to the less-privileged? Phones are amoral. They bear the character of the owners.
“I know you are about to come here to tongue-lash me for thinking I am supporting the students.”
Conversely, some members defended the PTA’s decision
Tadese B. Omolara argued, “I’m sure they must have informed them thoroughly on this, and a newsletter must have gone out. Those of you saying they should have seized them, imagine leaving your workload and getting busy seizing phones all day. This will serve as a deterrent to others.”
Daniel T. Ozoenmena firmly stated, “I will always condemn the act of giving teens phones for pleasure.”
However, others like Taiwo Funmibi and Blessing Ebunu Olukorede called for a more balanced approach, suggesting that broader issues, including teaching quality, should also be examined.
“Poor academic performance at this level is not totally the student’s fault. The teachers may have also contributed to it because they were the ones who were meant to impart knowledge. The phones could have been seized and returned to any performing student,” Funmibi elaborated.
The incident has exposed deep-seated concerns about the role of technology in education, disciplinary measures, and the shared responsibility between parents, teachers, and students in fostering academic success.