Mobile phone bans in schools – an alphabetical overview of countries

Source: www.elektrosmogazdravie.sk/zakazy-mobilov-na-skolach-abecedny-prehlad-statov/
Dec. 5 2023

The use of mobile phones in schools is banned or restricted in several countries. The problem is also addressed in the UNESCO global report entitled ''Technologies in Education''. ''Mobile phones in schools are gradually banned in every 4th country in the world,'' said Jana Foltányová from the Slovak Commission for UNESCO. Read more www1.pluska.sk/rady-a-tipy/zakazu-mobily-skolach-svete-to-funguje-je-to-digitalny-heroin-hovori-odbornik

England
The use of mobile phones is prohibited in schools in England. The new 2023 guidelines recommend banning the use of mobile phones during the school day, including breaks.

Source: www.gov.uk/government/news/mobile-phone-use-to-be-banned-in-schools-in-england

Australia
As a precautionary approach, Upper Sturt Primary School in Australia uses wired computers to access the Internet securely. Wired smart boards and phones have also been installed for educational and administrative purposes.

Source: ehtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Upper-Sturt-WiFi-Policy.pdf

Soon, children across Australia will have to do without their mobile phones at school. The aim is to increase pupils' performance and concentration. New Zealand's new Conservative government wants to ban mobile phones in all schools in the future.

Source: lesvillasdusoleil.com/politics/new-zealands-government-wants-to-ban-cell-phones-in-schools/

Cyprus
Cyprus removed Wi-Fi from primary schools and also lowered the Russian Federation in the children's wards of Archbishop Makarios Hospital.

Source: ehtrust.org/cyprus-policy-recommendations-cell-phones-wireless-radiation-health/

Finland
The citizens' initiative collected 30,000 signatures in support of a ban on mobile phones in schools. Moreover, the newly elected Conservative government is taking them seriously and has pledged to enact laws to satisfy the request. The Finnish government announced Monday that it will ''strengthen the powers of teachers and principals to intervene in activities that interfere with lessons during class.''

Source: europeanconservative.com/articles/commentary/finland-moves-against-cell-phones-in-schools/

France
Since the beginning of the 2018 school year, mobile phones have been banned in schools and colleges. France also restricts Wi-Fi by turning wireless off by default and teachers connecting to the internet via cable. School networks are built on wired wiring, and in situations where wireless connectivity is needed, it is only turned on for a short time in the classroom as needed and turned off after use.

Source: www.lemonde.fr/education/article/2017/12/10/plus-de-telephones-portables-dans-les-ecoles-et-colleges-a-la-rentree-2018-annonce-le-ministre-de-l-education-nationale_5227485_1473685.html

Netherlands
Should schoolchildren take their mobile phone to class or not? This question no longer arises in the Netherlands: from January 1, 2023, phones in secondary schools are not allowed.
From the new school year (after the summer holidays of 2024), it will also apply to primary schools and special schools.

Source: www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/voortgezet-onderwijs/mobiele-apparaten-in-de-klas

Ireland
Parents and eight schools in the Irish county of Greystones are adopting a voluntary ''smartphone-free code'' in an effort to limit peer pressure. All parents told their children they couldn't have a smartphone until high school.

Source: www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/jun/03/much-easier-to-say-no-irish-town-unites-in-smartphone-ban-for-young-children

Lithuania
A school in Lithuania's northern Akmenė district became the first to ban students from holding their phones during class. Elena Čiobienė has been a Lithuanian teacher for almost 40 years. Even without technology, he says, students were inventive in keeping themselves busy with everything possible except studying. With smartphones, however, things are much worse, she said. ''The distraction is much greater than before, when children were just talking during class,'' says the teacher. ''And now, of course, the distraction of phones is more harmful than before.''

Source: www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2075288/lithuanian-school-bans-mobile-phones-amid-drive-to-make-students-pay-attention

Norway
Norwegian Minister of Education Kari Nessa Nordtun is leading an initiative to create a mobile-free environment in Norwegian schools. Nordtun, citing concerns about deteriorating academic achievement and concentration levels, sees no compelling reason to integrate cell phones into the school day. While this does not amount to a total ban, Nordtun suggests that any deviation from this recommendation would require strong justification. She did not dismiss the possibility of a total ban in the future.

Source: bnnbreaking.com/world/norway/norways-education-minister-advocates-for-mobile-free-schools/

New Zealand
New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on December 1, 2023, that mobile phones would be banned in schools to improve student achievement, one of the measures he intends to introduce during the first 100 days of government.

Source: www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8445081/new-pm-to-ban-mobile-phones-in-new-zealand-schools/

Russia
Russia's National Committee for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (RNCNIRP) in its order of 19/6/2012 recommended schools and kindergartens to strictly regulate the use of Wi-Fi.

Source: www.scribd.com/document/182641315/RNCNIRP-Russia-Wi-Fi-Regulation-19-06-12-pdf

In December 2023, the Russian State Duma banned the use of cellphones in classrooms.
Source: www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/12/06/russias-state-duma-bans-cell-phones-in-school-classrooms-a83333

Slovakia
The state is lifting a blanket ban on mobile phones in elementary schools. The Ministry of Education has published Decree 223/2022 Coll. on primary school. It removed the ban on the use of mobile phones for pupils.

Source: zive.aktuality.sk/clanok/vsQcGJQ/stat-rusi-plosny-zakaz-mobilov-na-zakladnych-skolach-neznamena-to-rovno-ich-povolenie/

Spain
Spain is cracking down on mobile phone use in schools, imposing total bans or strictly regulating devices that many teachers and parents say are unnecessary.

Source: www.euronews.com/2023/11/14/spain-is-cracking-down-on-mobile-phone-use-in-schools

Sweden
Primary schools will be completely devoid of mobile phones. Even during breaks, pupils in grades 1-9 must leave their phones out of reach under the new agreement. The government and the Sweden Democrats agreed that primary school should be free of mobile phones, according to Tidö, which should be standard throughout Sweden.

It is a step forward in an important cultural change, says Liberal Party leader Johan Pehrson.

Source: https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/grundskolan-ska-bli-helt-mobilfri–rnjsht

In 2011, the European Parliamentary Assembly issued Resolution 1815 recommending reducing public exposure to radio fields and recommending in point 8.3.2: 'for children in general, and in schools and classrooms in particular, to give preference to wired Internet connections and to strictly regulate the use of mobile phones by school children on school premises'.



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