School: Naomi Long criticises spend on mobile phone pouches

Magnetic pouches work by locking the phone inside a fabric pocket which only a teacher would be able to unlock.

The idea was announced by the education minister as he issued wider guidance to schools advising them to restrict students’ access to mobiles during the school day.

“There is evidence that shows even if your mobile phone is in your schoolbag, or in your blazer, it can still be distracting,” Mr Givan said last week.

“Therefore having no access to it actually can help to make sure you don’t have any form of distraction in place, so I want to test that out, I want to gather the evidence.”

Mr Givan said he was going to invite 10 schools to take part in the pilot programme over the next number of weeks.

“I will fund the purchase of the pouches, and that would take this implementation to a level where were not constantly worrying about the enforcement because they’re magnetically sealed,” he explained.

The minister said when the pilot programme ends he will assess the evidence to check if it has been beneficial for schools and students.

Mrs Long took to social media to say she disapproved of the pouch proposal.

“At a time when resources are so stretched in the public sector, this expenditure is hard to fathom,” she wrote on X.

“Not only do most schools already have policies in place to deal with this issue but each mobile comes with an off switch which is absolutely free.”