The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has ignited the debate over the use of mobile phones by children in the basic and secondary schools.

Jacob Kor said considering the uncontrolled use of mobile phones by children which has exposed them to the negative things on the internet, the gadget should be banned at those levels.

The GES boss disclosed this when he addressed 10th Conference of Heads and Managers of Ahmadiyya Muslim Education Institutions in Ghana (CHAMEIG) held in Wa in the Upper West Region.

Mr Kor believes the use of the internet by children has created an opportunity for them “to go wayward.”

Having assessed the negative effects of the use of mobile phones, Mr Kor said he will not buy the gadget for his children at the primary and secondary.

According to him, “I will buy the gadget for my child until s/he completes the secondary school.”

He accused parents of buying the gadget for the children even in primary 3 all in the name of technology.

This he believes has resulted in these children “Whatsapping and Whatsapping deep into the night instead of studying.”

He bemoaned the manner the gadget is used in the country saying “Manufacturers of mobile phones implore users to limit the extent they use the gadget but this is not adhered to in the country.”

He admonished parents to put a stop to the practice of buying mobile phones for their children at a young age in order to keep them close to their books.