‘Teachers forbidden from using handphones in classrooms’

PUTRAJAYA: Teachers are prohibited from bringing or using their mobile phones while in class, Deputy Education Minister Datuk P. Kamalanathan said yesterday.

He said strict rules on mobile phone usage were in place.

This comes following a report that 14-year-old M. Vasanthapiriya had committed suicide after being accused of stealing a teacher’s mobile phone recently.

On the matter, Kamalanathan said he was unsure if the teacher in question had brought or used her phone in class.

“Teachers can bring their handphones to school. However, they are barred from bringing it to the classroom.

“Let us leave Vasanthapiriya’s case to the police. We will know what happened when the report is out,” he said.

“The ministry’s next course of action will be determined by the outcome of the police investigation,” he said.

Vasanthapiriya attempted suicide on Jan 24 after she was accused of stealing her teacher’s iPhone at a school in Nibong Tebal, a claim she had denied.

She committed suicide later that night, but was saved by her father, R. Muniandy, 54.

Vasanthapiriya died on Feb 1, without regaining consciousness.

It was reported that three investigation papers had been submitted to the state deputy public prosecutor ’s office and police were awaiting a response.

Kamalanathan was met earlier after attending a meeting on Research Proposal Writing Workshop for Teachers who teach Tamil Language and Tamil Literature.

Two sessions of the workshop will be carried out on Feb 10 and Feb 18 at SJK (T) Jalan Fletcher in Kuala Lumpur.