Effective from Monday 9th October, British Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, is set to ban smartphones from state school classrooms during both lessons and break times. The proposal aims to encourage pupils to concentrate whilst in a learning environment. 

The proposal, fraught with conflicting beliefs within the government, was initially planned by former education secretary Gavin Williamson in 2021, calling the devices ‘dangerous’ and ‘distracting’. Despite being scrapped by William’s successor, Nadhim Zahawi, in 2022, current Education Secretary Gilliann Keegan has chosen to re-propose the ban, citing similar reasons.

However, comments by Unesco’s director general, Audrey Azoulay, questioned the effectiveness of the proposed ban. She stressed that technology must be used for ‘enhanced learning experiences’, not to the detriment of a student’s education. 

‘The digital revolution holds immeasurable potential but, just as warnings have been voiced for how it should be regulated in society, similar attention must be paid to the way it is used in education,’ said Azoulay.  

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of School and College Leaders, similarly opposed such a ban. He criticised the government for a perceived ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, stating that most schools already have mobile phone policies during school hours, and most of the common issues associated with mobile devices occur outside of school premises. 

Evidence from the NASUWT teachers’ union survey last month illustrates a growing rift between the government’s approach and the concerns of educators. Reports showed that teachers’ primary concerns in classrooms were verbal and physical abuse. A far smaller proportion of teachers ascribed this behaviour to use of mobile phones

Debate aside, the UK government is not alone in pursuing such a controversial action. Many countries are already implementing similar bans, with France prohibiting use of mobile phones in classrooms from 2018, and Italy following suit from 2022. The UK is the latest in a growing list of nations aiming to take action against the perceived issues of mobile phone use in schools. 

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