The UAE billionaire and owner of Dubai's Emirates International School (EIS), Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, said on Saturday that the school has chosen to prohibit cell phone use in the classroom.
The move, which was made two days before Monday's start of the new school year, is intended to provide "a more focused and disciplined educational environment," according to a video posted on his X account by Al Habtour.
"Students who don't want to bring their phones to class will have to turn them in to the administration. He went on to say, "This (mobile phone use) will not be permitted at all until they have completed their classes and returned."
The UAE's schools have stringent but diverse policies about students' usage of mobile phones, ranging from outright prohibitions to limitations.
Public schools forbid students from taking cell phones to class in order to safeguard their privacy, safety, and to encourage good behavior. The phone will be suspended till the conclusion of the academic year for a second infraction. Students' phones may be confiscated from them after a few warnings in certain private schools around the nation.
