Ban all over the world

Compiled by TAN EE-LYN

School heads have taken this stand, because the ringing of handphones and students sending text messages during lessons are interrupting lessons.  

They are also apprehensive of an increase in the theft of handphones.  

These schools have implemented a ruling where teachers are allowed to confiscate a student’s handphone if it rings during lessons and require a parent coming to school to collect it. (Sourced from Children’s Express) 

State schools in Queensland, Australia, have aruling that students using their handphones to cheat during exams or threaten others will be punished, while camera phones are banned entirely from changing rooms.  

Australian Education Minister Anna Bligh believes that there is no evidence of any misuse of handphones in classrooms. These guidelines implemented are just a precaution before it becomes an issue.  

The guidelines also acknowledge that handphones are useful to students in the event of an emergency and that students should have access to their phones at appropriate times. (Sourced from http://www.zdnet.com.au) 

The Justice Department in the Philippines is preparing to enforce a ban on handphones in schools to prevent students from using them as tools for gambling.  

“Gambling has become a serious problem,” says Justice Secretary Merceditas Gutierrez.  

Students are known to play a game called “ending” where they will bet on the final scores of sports tournaments, most popularly, basketball. Their bets are usually sent to betting agents through their handphones.  

The plan to enforce a ban arose when the department began receiving reports of students committing suicide after losing their bets. (Sourced from http://www.inq7.net) 

All schools that come under the government’s authority in Bhopal, India, have decided to ban handphones in schools.  

This order was imposed after many complaints of distractions during lessons. 

“This ban will apply to both teachers and students,” said State School Education Minister Dhal Singh Bisen. Failure to follow these rules will result in strict action being taken against them, he added. 

Parents and students have welcomed this ban as many of them claimed to have been victims of abuse.  

Girls have reportedly become targets of phone-trotting “Romeos” who take pictures of them with their camera phones. (Sourced from http://news.indiainfo.com) 

The New Delhi, India, government has banned the use of mobile phones by both students and teachers in all 1,250 government schools beginning last year.  

The government has also sent out warnings to private schools in the capital to curb the use of handphones. (Sourced from http://in.rediff.com)  

Puppy love and theft have become the main concerns of school authorities in Dalian, China, with regard to the usage of handphones in schools.  

Many schools decided to prohibit students from bringing their handphones beginning September last year.  

Problems arose as students were constantly sending text messages while in class and disrupting studies.  

“And they try to keep up with the Joneses,” said Junior High School President Li Yi. She added that the ease of communication is increasing the occurrence of puppy love among students.  

An increase in handphone thefts and incidents of students being beaten during robberies have also been reported, sparking concern among parents.  

However, some parents are still hesitant to support the ban on handphones.  

These anxious parents say it is inconvenient for them to contact their children in the event of an emergency. (Sourced from China Daily) 

Authorities in Shanghai, China, have banned handphones in all schools. They feel that the ban is necessary to uphold order and discipline in class.  

They took measures by sending letters to parents reminding them not to allow their children to bring their handphones to school. More than 96% of the respondents welcomed the decision. 

But at the same time, schools are being accommodating in certain instances regarding the ban.  

Students who live far away from school are allowed to bring their mobile phones to school to call their parents, but with the restriction that the phones are switched off while in class. (Sourced from China Daily) 

Most schools in Bangkok, Thailand, have banned handphones with the exception of one – the city’s first school for the deaf.  

In this school, teachers encourage students to bring their handphones to class as text messaging has become a valuable teaching tool. 

Sethsathien School has included the use of handphones to help these children with their education and their attempts in communicating with each other and the outside world.  

Students send text messages to their teachers to discuss their homework or to ask what to bring for school the next day.  

Text messaging has also proved a successful substitute for calling out someone’s name.  

Students can usually be seen busily using their phones to speak to their friends in this silent school. 

“We have a few rules. The students must keep their phones on mute and they cannot text during class,” said art teacher Rungravee Ditchaeroen. (Sourced from Bangkok Post) 

Stupid survey. how many percents are Malays in Malaysia? If not the largest, the NEP will stay for another half a century. :(

The Star Online > Nation

Wednesday January 25, 2006

Poll: Malays the biggest handphone users

KUALA LUMPUR: Dial a random mobile phone number and chances are you will find yourself speaking to an adult Malaysian man of Malay descent. 

There will also be a high probability that he lives in Selangor and sends more than five text messages (SMSes) a day. 

He is also a prepaid user, spends less than RM50 a month on his bill, and cannot tell the difference between Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephony and other forms of telephony. 

On top of that, he feels that he does not need 3G services at the moment. 

According to the survey, Malaysians make up 93.7% of mobile phone users in the country, with Malays making up 53.9% of all users. In addition, 57.4% of users are males. 

Selangor residents topped the list of users at 24.5%. 

A whopping 80.4% are prepaid users, 49.6% send more than five SMSes a day, 51.3% spend less than RM50 on their bills, 54.8% do not need 3G services at the moment and 60.8% are not aware of VOIP. 

The findings also show that most users who are not satisfied with their current service provider want to keep their number when they migrate to another provider. 

Users also do not see VOIP as a substitute for mobile phone calls and are not used to the idea of buying things through their mobile phones. 

The survey was conducted by MCMC through its Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing centre in Shah Alam between Aug 9 and Sept 18 last year. 

During this period, random numbers were rung and questions from an onscreen questionnaire posed to users.  

A total of 4,925 mobile phone users responded to the survey.  

The Star Online > Lifefocus

Wednesday January 25, 2006

Enter the fire dog

By JOEY YAP

Annual feng shui forecasts are something that we feng shui practitioners are often asked about. In the old days, the forecast was restricted to matters of the economy, and perhaps the stock market. These days, it seems we are also expected to be able to provide guidance on meteorological matters, natural disasters and even epidemics! 

Joey Yap: "The fire element will be strongest in the new year."

Why? Well, if your annual forecast, based on your animal sign is unfavourable, being in a good feng shui location may help reduce or counter some of the problems or disadvantages.  

Similarly, if you are going to enjoy good fortune based on your animal sign in 2006, then being in a good feng shui location, at work or at home, will give this good fortune added pep. 

It is important to understand that annual forecasts using the animal signs are general forecasts – it is a generic interpretation of the influences of the year on the Year Branch of a person’s BaZi or Eight Characters.  

As the year branch only constitutes 12.5% of a person’s BaZi, the annual forecast will provide you with exactly that – just 12.5% of the reading. In any case, it is simply not conceivable that millions of people, born in the Year of the Dragon, will all share the same fate and outcome. So take the “bad year” and “good year” forecasts with a pinch of salt. There’s nothing like a proper BaZi analysis for an accurate outcome. 

Business outlook for 2006 

The BaZi chart of 2006 indicates a very strong Fire element. Fire-related industries like oil and gas, petroleum, electronics and IT can expect to have a good start to the year. However, these industries will see business cool potentially as we get closer to August. 

With Fire being the dominant element of the year, Metal will be weak, especially in the first quarter of the year (February, March and April).  

Metal-related industries like banking, finance, funds, insurance and money will come under external pressure. 

We are likely to see changes in the regulatory environment, policy changes and changes in business directions in these fields. Mergers or business consolidation may take place in these industries, as Fire melts the Metal.  

As these changes will be forced rather than natural, performance in these sectors may be affected. 

The BaZi chart for the Year of the Fire Dog 2006.

Earth-related industries like properties are generally positive. Properties are likely to change hands due to the Earth element clashes in the year’s BaZi chart. However, there is potential for higher-end properties to stagnate in value. 

Water-related industries should fare well this year. With Fire being so strong, Water is needed to cool things down. So water-related industries like transportation, logistics and courier services will be in demand.

The Star Online > Nation

Wednesday January 25, 2006

Government may reduce weight of exams

PUTRAJAYA: Public examinations like the PMR, SPM and STPM are here to stay but the Education Ministry wants to de-emphasise their importance. 

Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the ministry would be taking measures towards this goal to be achieved by the 10th Malaysia Plan (2011-15). 

The importance of exams would be balanced by an emphasis on sports and other co-curriculum activities, he added without providing details.  

“This is in line with our aim to provide students with a more holistic and well-rounded education,” he said. 

However, before any decision is made, the Ministry will seek the views of parents.  

“If exams are to be made the sole yardstick of success, things will never change,” Hishammuddin told reporters after receiving Brunei Education Minister Pehin Datuk Abdul Rahman Taib at his office yesterday. 

The ministry would ensure that there were enough trained personnel, including Physical Education teachers as well as co-curriculum coordinators in schools. 

Last year, Hishammuddin announced that funding for co-curriculum activities would increase from RM2.60 per student to RM10 (primary) and RM12 (secondary). 

It was announced too that from the coming university academic year, students would be chosen based on their participation in co-curriculum activities (10%) as well as their academic grades (90%) for entry into public institutions of higher learning. This was later extended for entry into boarding schools, technical schools and teacher training programmes. 

On another matter, Hishammuddin said the ministry was studying the need for two additional sports schools under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.