Riyadh, September 1: Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Education has banned students from using mobile phones in schools. Saudi Arabia opened schools for in-person classes on August 30. Only fully vaccinated students aged above 12 can return to school. Students were allowed to take their phones to schools to show their COVID-19 vaccination status via the Tawakkalna app. However, they are now no longer allowed to carry mobile phones in schools. Saudi Arabia Lifts Quarantine Rules for Fully-Vaccinated Indians, Says They Can Return Directly to the Kingdom Without Quarantine.

While banning students from using mobile phone, the Ministry of Education instructed school administration to check the daily updates of students' health status on the Tawakkalna Web, according to Saudi Press Agency. New students and those who have recovered from COVID-19 require to submit a print out of their health status on Tawakkalna system, or send a copy of it to the mobile phone of the school administration. Saudi Arabia: Drone Attack on Abha Airport Wounds 8, Damages Civilian Plane.

The Ministry of Education further clarified: "The school administration has the exception to allow bringing mobile phone out of necessity according to its evaluation, and this includes the case of students whose health conditions require the need to bring the mobile to the school, provided that it’s kept with the administration." It also said that filming in schools and educational facilities is prohibited for all education staff, students and their parents.

Schools in Saudi Arabia had been shut due to the coronavirus pandemic. For the past 17 months, online classes were ongoing. Schools reopened on August 30. Six million fully-jabbed students from more than 25,000 schools in the country resumed their in-person education on the first day.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 01, 2021 05:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).