In Finland, the parliament has approved a law restricting the use of phones and other gadgets during the school day, arguing that smartphones can negatively impact studentsʼ well-being and learning.
This is reported by the Finnish publication YLE.
New rules regarding phones in schools will come into effect on August 1. The use of gadgets will be strictly limited during lessons. They can only be taken out with the permission of the teacher for medical or educational purposes.
If someone is disrupting a lesson with a phone, the teacher or principal has the right to take it away. Schools should also develop rules for the storage and use of phones during lessons, breaks, and lunch.
Finnish Education Minister Anders Adlerkreutz hopes that the restrictions will encourage children to play and communicate more in person, not just over the phone.
Finland is not the first European country to restrict the use of phones in schools due to growing evidence that they harm the attention, self-esteem and general well-being of children and adolescents.
Yes, Denmark will completely ban phones in schools. A study found that 94% of teenagers in Denmark already had a social media account by the age of 13 (the minimum age for most platforms), and children aged 9-14 spent an average of 3 hours a day on TikTok and YouTube.
- The Netherlands has banned mobile phones in primary and secondary schools. A similar initiative is being implemented in the UK.
- UNESCO estimates that one in four countries has partially or completely banned the use of smartphones in schools, including France, Spain, the Netherlands, and China.
- UNESCO called for a ban on smartphones in schools by 2023. Research shows that excessive screen time negatively impacts childrenʼs academic performance and well-being.
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