Students to protest MOE over mobile device usage guidelines

Taipei, May 22 (CNA) Students from several senior high schools are planning to stage a protest outside the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Saturday, voicing opposition to the ministry's draft guidelines on how schools should manage student use of mobile devices on campus.

Speaking to CNA by phone Thursday, a student representative said they are most dissatisfied with the MOE's "top-down" approach and drafting the policy without involving students in the process.

The students urged the MOE to withdraw the guidelines and to incorporate public input, including hosting debates and hearings, in drafting a new policy, said the student, who asked to remain anonymous.

Published on a government-run platform on May 21 to solicit public feedback, the guidelines are intended to help schools manage students' use of smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices on campus.

For elementary and junior high schools, the devices brought by students should be held collectively by schools or by each class, the guidelines say.

As for senior schools, the guidelines said schools should convene meetings with teacher, parent and student representatives to discuss rules for establishing a unified management system.

Although the guidelines stated that students should be included in discussions, students are concerned that any decisions made through such a process could still be overturned by school affairs meetings, according to those planning the protest.

The draft has already sparked both support and criticism in the comments, and the public can continue to submit feedback on the platform until June 1.

The planned protest on Saturday is being organized by two student coalitions and involves several senior high schools, including Nangang Senior High School and Dazhi High School in Taipei, as well as Banqiao Senior High School and Zhonghe Senior High School in New Taipei.

Earlier Thursday, representatives from NGOs, including EdYouth, held a press conference calling on the MOE to "uphold campus democracy by including students in decision-making."

Several lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) attended the event in support.

At its core, the mobile device management policy is not merely about the control of device usage, but the principles of campus democracy, procedural justice, and recognizing students as active participants in their education, said DPP Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶).

Involving students in discussions on such issues can lead to greater self-discipline and fewer conflicts, Wu said, urging the MOE to embrace the value of "listening to students."