Kazakhstan's Ministry of Education has approved an order setting out all the rules for students' use of smartphones in schools: a mobile device may be used only with a teacher's permission, the website infohub.kz reports.
The order from the Minister of Education, detailing all the rules for phone use in secondary education institutions, has been published on the website of the Reference Control Bank of Regulatory Legal Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
According to the document, a mobile device is not to be used during a lesson, although a number of exceptions are provided. In particular, a phone may be used for educational purposes on a teacher's instruction when its use is necessary to complete a learning task; when circumstances arise that pose a threat to the life and/or health of a student, a pupil or other persons; or when a mobile device needs to be used because of a student's or pupil's health condition.
The order stipulates that even before a lesson begins, a student must switch the phone to silent mode with vibration and sound alerts turned off, or turn it off. In addition, schools will be able to designate specially equipped areas for storing mobile devices.
If a phone is needed during a lesson, the order states that when a mobile device is used for educational purposes, the teacher sets the learning task for which the mobile device is required. Before the mobile device is used, the teacher explains to students and pupils the content of the learning task and the procedure and duration for using the mobile device. The teacher also explains the requirements for completing the learning task independently and the permissible ways of using the mobile device in doing so, and gives instructions on when to start and stop using the mobile device.
At the same time, a student must use the smartphone exclusively to complete the learning task set by the teacher. The use of a phone's photo, audio and video recording functions is likewise permitted only on a teacher's instruction.
The ministerial order will take effect on October 9. It was previously reported that the use of mobile phones in Kazakh schools was being considered as part of amendments to laws on the status of teachers and on education. Minister of Education Zhuldyz Suleimenova gave details of plans to ban smartphones in Kazakh schools.