There are no plans to introduce a blanket ban on pupils bringing mobile phones to school.

Education Minister Graham Cregeen said instead it was a matter for individual schools decide.

Whether children should be allowed to bring their phones or use them in school has become a hot topic.

Ballakermeen High School, Douglas, is holding open meetings with parents next week at which the policy on mobile phones will be discussed.

A letter from head teacher Adrienne Burnett acknowledges the value of mobile phones but says the school has had to deal with an increasing number of ’unpleasant exchanges’ on social media and inappropriate use of phone cameras.

Castle Rushen High School, in Castletown, is carrying out a consultation on making key stage three ’mobile-free’.

Responding to a Tynwald question from former CRHS teacher Jason Moorhouse, Mr Cregeen said the issue was delegated to the schools.

’In making such decisions, the schools have to balance the potential dangers and disruption of such technology in lessons along with the possible benefits of using internet-accessible devices to encourage the development of skills and the abilities of pupils needed in the 21st century workplace,’ he said.

He added that teachers were best placed to decide a correct policy.

’They are at the coalface working with the children, and they are the best people to advise on how to use that technology.’

He added: ’You could take the mobile phones off people, but they would still have access to the internet.’

Mr Cregeen confirmed that schools had policies to deal with inappropriate behaviour on the internet.

Mr Moorhouse said: ’These devices are status symbols and, in environments where we are encouraging people to wear a uniform, and all be seen as equal, we need to consider the wider implications.

’Many of them operate outside the school networks and they make bullying worse. This week I have spoken to several tearful mothers.’

He quoted a comment from one sixth-former, who said in an online debate: ’I can tell you, the benefits really don’t outweigh the drawbacks.

’They are such a source of distraction. And no, there is very little they are used for as educational tools.’

Chris Robertshaw (Douglas East) said it was old-fashioned to talk about banning phones.

’The children are accessing devices,’ he said. ’Those devices give the children incredibly large access to a massive amount of information, bigger than any possible library that may exist in any school.

’It is terribly important that teachers have the opportunity to encourage and educate their children to use those devices to maximum opportunity.’

But Mr Moorhouse remained concerned. He said there had been massive investment in technology in schools and queried whether pupils’ own mobile phones were needed to help with learning.

He said: ’I was recently told by a group of teachers that they had been advised that students should be told, "Turn your phone over and you can access it in 10 minutes’ time."

’I was quite horrified by this.’

Julie Edge suggested a system of secure storage of phones during lesson time, with pupils collecting afterwards.