PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - The Bandung City Government (Pemkot) prohibits students from bringing mobile phones to school. The regulation follows a similar policy from the West Java Provincial Government.

This was conveyed by the Mayor of Bandung, Muhammad Farhan, coinciding with the commemoration of National Education Day 2025. He said that the policy was taken to overcome online game addiction which is considered to disrupt the teaching and learning process.

"Students are not allowed to bring cell phones into the classroom. During school hours, including during breaks, cell phones must be stored. Schools are required to provide safe storage facilities," said the Mayor at the Bandung City Education Office Hall, Friday (2/5/2025).

He also shared his personal experience in dealing with the impact of online gaming addiction, which even caused his nephew to skip school for three months.

According to him, digital addiction has an impact equivalent to drug addiction and can be a gateway to online gambling practices.

On the same occasion, Farhan also touched on the New Student Admissions (PPDB) or New Student Admissions Selection (SPMB) system. He revealed a number of field facts, including excess capacity in several schools, the unequal distribution of state schools in the region and the still strong perception of "favorite schools" among parents.

According to him, the zoning system aims to equalize the quality of education, but challenges remain in the field, especially because not all sub-districts have public schools.

"Our task is to socialize that the quality of education in all schools is equal. Parents must be assured that their children will continue to get the best education wherever they go to school," he said.

According to him, the new system in SPMB is being designed with the main principles remaining on transparency and integrity.

Apart from that, during the National Education Day, Farhan also touched on the welfare of teachers, especially honorary workers.

He promised that there would be a review of the contract status of honorary teachers so that they could continue to work and receive salaries through the APBN in 2026.

"If not done, thousands of teachers will be immediately dismissed because the contract ends in December 2025, while the law prohibits ASN work from being done by non-ASN," he said. (Bandung City Communication and Information Service/ Rani)