Evaluation of Policies on Ban of Mobile Phone Usage by SHS Students on Campuses using an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP).

Abstract

The study seeks to evaluation of policies on ban of mobile phone usage by SHS students on campuses; an analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The possible policy directions opened to school authorities in achieving student discipline on mobile phone usage on campuses, alternative policies to the enforced policy, reasons for noncompliance of students to the ban on mobile phone usage on campuses and an alternative policy that will be benefit both school authorities and students are looked at. Questionnaires were used to collect primary data from respondents, mainly educational experts (administrators), parents and students of seven senior high schools in Ashanti Region and the results analysed using Expert’s Choice for Windows 2007 and Excel. 36% of SHS students have stopped using their phones while on campuses of which 16% stopped because of the ban. Allow students to carry specified cell phones on campus and taught how to use them responsibly at specific time and places is beneficial to all players. The effort of educational authority should be focused towards making cell phone usage on campuses more friendly in a more responsible way rather than the current no cell at all policy which by all standard unsustainable. Authorities must also realize that day in day out cell phones are becoming powerful than most of the personal computers stocked in our various learning institutions across the country and when implemented effectively can help school authorities serve costs such as inventory, maintenance and purchase.