Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education to detail any advice his Department sought from the Chief Medical Officer on the use of screen-based devices by children in schools.
Minister of Education: Screen-based devices include desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, interactive whiteboards and other digital technologies that use a visual display screen.
The Department has not sought specific advice from the Chief Medical Officer on the use of screen-based devices by children in schools.
Guidance from the UK Chief Medical Officers recommends a precautionary and balanced approach to screen time generally rather than fixed daily time limits.
Screen use should be balanced with adequate sleep, physical activity, face-to-face social interaction, learning and play, with parents setting clear, age-appropriate boundaries on children’s use of digital devices outside school time.
Similarly, whilst the Department has issued specific guidance on the use of mobile phones in school, wider decisions on the broader use of screen-based devices in educational settings are best made by schools, taking account of the age, stage and learning needs of pupils.
The appropriate use of screen-based devices will vary across different areas of the curriculum and between age groups. For example, some pupils will require significant access to computers as part of their studies for qualifications in ICT, Digital Technology and related subjects.
Schools are therefore best placed to exercise professional judgement on the use of screen-based devices within teaching and learning, while balancing educational, developmental and wellbeing considerations.
ENDS
