JTA calls for screen time rules

MANDEVILLE, Manchester — President of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) La Sonja Harrison has suggested that Jamaica should adopt policies used in countries like Finland regarding screen time to restrict the use of phones and other mobile devices among young children during the school day.

Pointing to her recent visit to the 89th biennial convention of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) in Washington, DC, in July, Harrison said a national campaign is being launched to tackle screen time challenges among children.

“They are now launching a national campaign, devices down, heads up, eyes on campaign, because they are saying we must get books back into our schools and for us to get our children re-engaged. I am not saying that we shouldn’t use the technology, but we have to restrict it at a certain level, our babies, our early childhood children and so I have a call for a national screen time policy,” Harrison said on Tuesday in Mandeville.