The lawmaker representing Akinyele 1 State Constituency in Oyo State House of Assembly, Olalekan Abiola, on Tuesday, appealed to the Oyo State Government to enforce a ban on the use of mobile phones in all public and private secondary schools.

Abiola made the appeal while moving a motion titled “Need to ban the use of Mobile phones in Secondary Schools in the State to improve Student Discipline and better academic performance” during the plenary presided over by the Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin

He revealed that while mobile phones serve as important communication tools, their misuse among secondary school students has led to negative behavioural patterns, including increased cases of truancy, peer influence in harmful activities, and a decline in reading culture.

“The use of mobile phones in secondary schools has become a growing concern, as it contributes to distraction during learning hours, reduces students ‘focus on academics, and promotes indiscipline.

“The students have gone as far as smuggling mobile phones into examination halls to cheat, undermining the credibility of academic assessments. The unrestricted access to mobile phones has also contributed to rising cases of cyberbullying, sex-texting, and exposure to inappropriate materials, which negatively influence students’ behaviour.”

He suggested the need for school authorities to establish official communication channels that allow parents to reach their wards in emergencies without disrupting learning activities.

The House has directed its standing committee on Education (Basic and Secondary) to engage all relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education, the Agency for Mobilisation, the Ministry of Information, and others, for dialogue and work out the modalities to adopt in curbing the use of phones in both private and public secondary schools across the state.