No scrolling on duty: Kerala district reminds teachers to lead by example, bans personal phone use

KASARAGOD: In a bid to curb distractions and maintain academic discipline, a stringent ban has been imposed on the use of mobile phones by teachers in schools across Kasaragod district. The District Education Officer (DEO) has issued an official directive stating that, moving forward, teachers are prohibited from using mobile devices during working hours except for official purposes.

The directive comes in the wake of escalating complaints alleging that routine phone usage by educators during school hours was adversely impacting students' academic progress and behavioural development.

Under the new regulations, teachers are strictly prohibited from accessing social media platforms or using phones for personal communication while on duty. To ensure strict compliance, the DEO warned that surprise inspections would be conducted, and any faculty member found violating the mandate would face severe disciplinary action.

However, the order clarifies that teachers are permitted to possess their phones outside of active classroom hours. School Headmasters have been vested with the responsibility of monitoring staff and ensuring that no teacher spends school hours on personal calls or social media. The mandate is strictly applicable to all high school teachers functioning under the Kasaragod education district.