Mobile Phone Use In Uganda's Boarding Secondary Schools: A Case Study Of Bushenyi District

The question whether secondary school students should be allowed to use mobile phones in school remains a controversial one. In this study carried out in a rural district of Bushenyi in Uganda the researcher sought to establish the usage of mobile phones among secondary school students in boarding schools. The researcher also sought the views and opinions of students, teachers and parents about the use of mobile phones by students in the schools. The study established that despite the official ban on use of mobile phones by students in school, 34% of the students said they were aware that some students own and use mobile phones in school. It was further established that 40% of teachers said they were aware that some students owned and used phones in school while 20% of them supported the use of phones by the students. Meanwhile, 40% of the parents supported the use of mobile phones by students in school. It was noted that the battle against the use of mobile phones by students in secondary schools might soon be lost due to the increased availability and benefits associated with their use.