YES
A distraction
It would reduce social interaction among children as most of them would be busy making friends on Facebook rather than in real life. Second, it would distract pupils during class. Lastly, it would lead to discrimination between students as some would have costlier gadgets than others.
Anuj Derick George
St. Xavier’s Collegiate School, Calcutta
Money minded
Gadgets in school will only lead to students boasting about their status by showing off their gadgets. Their minds would be too busy concentrating on the gadgets others have rather than on studies. It would make them materialistic. They would waste time thinking about the features of gadgets even during solving equations or reading Shakespeare. The competition would then be in the display of gadgets, not in academics.
Brishti Ghosh Choudhury
Holy Home, Serampore, Hooghly
Teachers redundant
If students start using gadgets in school for studying, there’s little scope of a teacher in class. Allowing gadgets in school would also be equivalent to giving an open invitation to distraction. It will make students dull and hamper their thinking skills because they will grow dependant on gadgets rather than utilising their own abilities.
Aamyrah Khurram
Loreto Day School, Elliot Road, Calcutta
NO
Greatest gift
Electronic gadgets are one of the greatest gifts of science. They can be used by anybody. In school too, they can be put to different uses — such as getting help by googling, as a support for students with special needs and providing easy access to information. If gadgets are put to proper use, it will only enhance the education process.
Ditiya Kumar
St. Anthony’s High School, Calcutta
Help the weak
Gadgets are an innovative way to study for weak students as they can avail these resources repeatedly, which is not possible with traditional teaching methods. Also, it is a one-time investment and does not require expending money regularly on things such as coaching centres, reference books and so on. Thereby, it will also help poor children.
Shah Fahad Azmi
Syamaprasad College, Calcutta
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