The Oyo State House of Assembly has taken steps to restrict the use of mobile phones by students in both public and private secondary schools across the state, citing growing concerns about discipline and academic performance.
At its plenary session held on Tuesday, the Assembly directed its Standing Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary) to engage with relevant stakeholders to deliberate and develop modalities for curbing phone usage in schools. Among the stakeholders to be consulted are the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Information, and the Agency for Mobilisation.
The directive followed a motion raised by Hon. Olalekan Abiola, the member representing Akinyele 1 State Constituency. The motion, titled “Need to ban the use of mobile phones in secondary schools in the state to improve student discipline and better academic performance”, was presented during a session presided over by Speaker Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin.
Hon. Abiola stressed the adverse impact of mobile phone usage among students, saying:
> “Mobile phones, though useful as communication tools, have been increasingly misused by secondary school students, leading to serious distractions, a decline in reading culture, and even academic dishonesty.”
He added that many students have begun sneaking mobile phones into exam halls, using them to cheat and compromising the credibility of academic assessments.
> “Unrestricted access to phones is also responsible for the rise in cyberbullying, sexting, and exposure to inappropriate content that negatively influences students’ behavior,” he said.
Abiola urged the state government to enforce a ban, particularly during school hours, to curb these growing issues. He also proposed that official communication channels be created within schools, allowing parents to reach their wards in emergencies without interrupting learning activities.
Lawmakers expressed unanimous concern over the trend, with several agreeing that curbing phone usage would help reinforce discipline and refocus students on academics.
