On Monday, schools across the Netherlands implemented a comprehensive nationwide ban on mobile phones. Since the beginning of the year, secondary schools have already prohibited phones in classrooms, but this rule has now been extended to primary schools with the start of the new academic year.
The Ministry of Education in The Hague argues that mobile phones distract students and hinder their ability to focus, ultimately negatively impacting their academic performance. However, phones can still be used in class if they are essential for the lesson, such as when teaching media skills.
Students who rely on mobile phones for medical reasons or due to a disability are also permitted to use them. Schools are responsible for how they enforce the ban in practice. According to the broadcaster NOS, schools that have banned mobile phones during breaks have also noticed an improvement in the overall atmosphere.
The ban on mobile phones in schools has been a topic of heated debate in the Netherlands. Initially, several education ministers were opposed to a nationwide policy, and school administrators preferred to have rules set at the local level, according to the broadcaster.
Meanwhile, some parents argued that young children, especially those in primary school, should not have smartphones at all due to the addictive nature of social media.
Personally, I completely agree; I’d be glad to see phones out of young kids’ hands not just in schools, but anywhere, anytime.