Sulsel Education Office Instructs Schools to Prepare SOP for Gadget Restrictions

Makassar (ANTARA) - The South Sulawesi Education Office (Disdik Sulsel) has instructed all senior high schools and equivalent institutions in the region to prepare standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding the implementation of gadget and social media restrictions for students.

Head of Disdik Sulsel, Iqbal Najamuddin, in Makassar on Saturday, stated that such restrictions are necessary due to their negative impacts on children’s growth and development.

“Schools should create SOPs for gadget usage restrictions. So, when restrictions are enforced, for example, upon entering the school premises or during class hours, all gadgets must be collected in a designated special area,” he said at the Syawalan Muhammadiyah Sulsel event in Makassar on Saturday.

To this end, schools must prepare special rooms for storing gadgets, which will be supervised to prevent theft or loss.

He reminded school principals to implement this programme responsibly, as the policy’s objective is to counter negative impacts and prevent exposure to age-inappropriate content.

“We will conduct monitoring to observe how students’ development progresses with the gadget restrictions,” he added.

Furthermore, the head of the education office explained that although restrictions are in place, gadget use is not entirely prohibited. Mobile phones can still be used in certain situations, such as for digital-based learning needs or emergencies.

The office also emphasised that school restrictions were first advocated before the birth of the Tunas Regulation.