An investigation carried out by BBC's Panorama questioned the effects of Wi-Fi connectivity in schools, adding that some of the schools have got three times the radio frequency radiation levels than in a typical mobile phone mast.
While no study has been conducted on the effects of Wi-Fi on health, numerous studies have shown that radio frequency radiation emitted by mobile phone masts are indeed harmful. And since Wi-Fi technology is similar to that of mobile phone technology, analysts believe that Wi-Fi might be harmful for the brains of children.
In the investigation, researchers from Panorama traveled to a school in Norwich and compared the radiation levels of the classrooms with that of a typical mobile phone mast. The found that the signal strength in the classroom was three times stronger than the radiation level found in the main beam of the mobile phone mast.
Analysts believe that since children's skulls are still in development stage and hence thinner than adult skulls, their brains absorb a higher amount of radiation, which could lead to health problems in future. Many scientists are now clamoring for governments to ban Wi-Fi connections from schools.
Says Dr Gerd Oberfeld, from Salzburg, "If you go into the data you can see a very very clear picture - it is like a puzzle and everything fits together from DNA break ups to the animal studies and up to the epidemiological evidence; that shows for example increased symptoms as well as increased cancer rates."
The investigation also questions the logic of banning mobile phone masts near schools while allowing Wi-Fi technology to continue functioning inside. An inquiry conducted by Sir William Stewart in 2000 recommended that mobile phone masts be prohibited from being placed near schools, until permission is taken from parents and school authorities.
The reason for such recommendation was to make sure that children are not exposed to radiation emitted by the main beam of the masts. However Panorama's investigation reveals that children are sometimes directly exposed to three times the level of that radiation.
Philip Parkin, General Secretary of the Professional Association of Teachers, believes that this investigation will make schools think twice before installing new Wi-Fi connections. "I think schools and parents will be very worried about it. I am asking for schools to consider very seriously whether they should be installing wi-fi networks now and this will make them think twice or three times before they do it", he said.
