Students Pledge for Productive Use of Smartphones

Mobile phone addiction, especially among adolescents, is approaching pandemic proportions. Recent studies show that school-based prevention programs are effective to address the issue. It is at this juncture, that Bro. P.J. George, the director of Montfort Counselling & Educational Service (MCES) has embarked on a National Mission specifically to enlighten the students of Std IX to XII on the harmful effects of excessive use of smartphones through a carefully designed Psychoeducation Seminar. During the past 16 months, he has conducted 120+such seminars covering 12000+ students in 12 States across India, in 40+ schools.The States he has covered so far are Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Haryana, Andra Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

The seminar is titled, “Journey Towards My Career”. The most important feature of the seminar is that two Standardized Tests of Mobile Phone Dependency/ Addiction are conducted. These are tests Published in International Journals.

The results of the tests make the addicted students become aware of their condition. This new self-awareness leads to a desire in them to change and they change their habits for the better. Purpose of Life, Career Guidance and Time Management are also equally important parts of the seminar. Thus, the seminar also helps the students stay focused and perform better in academics. In the long run, academic performance and the overall school discipline also improve because of the seminar besides the participants getting back on track on their journey towards their career to meet the purpose of their life.

The positive feedback from the participants has been very consistent. The seminar ends with a pledge by the participants to use smartphones only to enhance their productivity and follow digital etiquette, digital laws and digital health and wellness practices.