Uttarakhand school's anti-mobile 'lesson' under scanner

The unusual anti-mobile exercise left several children crying and screaming

What was meant to be a lesson on staying away from mobile phones left a classroom of children crying and screaming after a school in Uttarakhand staged a disturbing exercise in which a child was shown with bandaged eyes and told classmates that doctors had removed his eyes because of excessive mobile use.The incident, reported from a private school in Khatima in Udham Singh Nagar district, came under the scanner after a video of the activity went viral on social media. The district education authorities have now ordered an inquiry into the incident.In the video, one child appears with his eyes covered in bandages, with red-coloured liquid reportedly applied around the eyes to make the injury look real. He then tells other students that he used a mobile phone excessively and that doctors had consequently removed both his eyes.The explanation appears to have frightened several children. Some can be heard crying and screaming, while others repeatedly promise that they will never use mobile phones again.The school had organised the activity as an awareness exercise against excessive smartphone use, including gaming and social media. However, the way the message was conveyed has now raised questions about whether an awareness activity for young children crossed into creating unnecessary fear.

A child’s eyes were covered with bandages during the school’s anti-mobile exercise

School says activity was aimed at discouraging mobile use

According to ETV Bharat, the activity was organised after concerns were raised about children's increasing mobile-phone use. The school management reportedly viewed the exercise as a way of making students understand the effects of excessive screen time.The activity involved children playing different roles, including that of a doctor and a patient. A child was made to portray someone whose eyes had been affected after excessive mobile use.

But the reaction of the children- particularly their visible fear and distress- brought the activity under scrutiny.

Education department orders probe

The video prompted the education department to take cognisance of the matter. Udham Singh Nagar District Education Officer Harendra Kumar Mishra directed the Khatima Block Education Officer to investigate the incident and submit a report.Mishra told The New Indian Express that necessary action would be taken based on the facts that emerge from the inquiry.Khatima Sub-Divisional Magistrate Tushar Saini also acknowledged that activities that create fear among children should be avoided. The school management was advised to ensure that programmes conducted for children do not negatively affect their well-being.The inquiry is expected to examine how the activity was planned and conducted and whether appropriate safeguards were followed while involving children.

A message about screen time, delivered through fear

The incident has also opened up a larger conversation about how schools address children's growing dependence on smartphones.There is little doubt that excessive screen use has become a concern for parents and schools, particularly with children's increasing access to smartphones, online games and social media. But an awareness programme involving young children also has to account for how literally they may interpret what they see and hear.In this case, the message appears to have been memorable but for reasons the school may not have intended. Rather than simply discussing the effects of excessive screen time, the children were confronted with a simulated injury and told that mobile-phone use had resulted in the loss of their eyes.For now, the education department is awaiting the inquiry report before deciding what action, if any, should follow.