School mobile phone restriction deliberation among ministers: no consensus reached on instituting a universal prohibition of mobile devices in educational institutions
Revamped Article:
Mobile Phone Rules in Schools: A State-by-State Decision
Klütz/Berlin (dpa) - The Presiding Education Minister has nixed the idea of a countrywide mobile phone ban regulation in schools. "We're living in a federal system," Simone Oldenburg, Minister of Education in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, declared at the conference in Klütz. She believes each state should have its unique recommendations. The recommendations from various states aren't far from each other, she added.
Oldenburg isn't merely concerned with mobile phone use. "We ought to cultivate expertise in social media," she emphasized. Schools have limited access there. "We require health protection and youth media protection," she added.
The Future: Expert Commission and Media Education
Federal Minister of Education Karin Prien (CDU) acknowledges the limited control schools have over students' mobile phone usage. "Parental involvement is crucial," she stated. "The smartphone in a child's bedroom and on their nightstand" presents as significant a challenge as its use in school. The need for media education, youth media protection, and social media regulation is equally important.
Children are exposed to various unwholesome contents like violence, adult content, extremism, or cyberbullying online. "We, as a state, bear a protective role," Prien asserted.
An expert commission consisting of representatives from all states will be formed to provide a scientific basis for handling this issue. The specifics of the commission's composition will be announced by Prien before the summer break. The first findings are expected at the beginning of next year.
Memorial Work: Teaching Empathy
The Ministerial meeting in Klütz was also about memorial work, an initiative set by Oldenburg. Prien believes, "Ultimately, it's about instilling empathy in young people. Without empathy, one can not fully grasp the horrors of disenfranchisement, discrimination, and persecution." Schools today have a significant responsibility in this regard.
Prien reiterates her belief that every young person should visit a memorial site during their educational journey, with lessons providing a well-integrated experience. For Friday, Oldenburg has invited her fellow Ministers to the Memorial and Educational Center Wöbbelin near Ludwigslust.
This approach to education - emphasizing digital literacy, youth-oriented media protection, and historical empathy - reflects the broader German educational framework that seeks to empower students for responsible, digital citizenship.
- The policy-and-legislation for mobile phone usage in schools is currently a state-by-state decision, with each state determining its unique recommendations, as stated by Simone Oldenburg, the Minister of Education in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
- The future of handling the issue of mobile phone usage in schools, along with media education and social media regulation, will be addressed by an expert commission consisting of representatives from all states, as announced by Federal Minister of Education Karin Prien.
