Photo: Some schools set up a cloth bag in the classroom to hold mobile phones. \Associated Press

USA

At least 13 states in the United States have passed laws or are preparing to formulate policies to ban or restrict students from using mobile phones in schools. Florida is the first state in the United States to implement a school mobile phone ban, which took effect on July 1 last year.

U.K.

Guidelines were issued in October 2023, recommending that all schools across the country ban the use of mobile phones by students. Most schools require students to turn off their mobile phones and only use them in class with the teacher’s permission.

France

Regulations were introduced in 2018 to prohibit kindergarten, primary and junior high school students from using mobile phones on campus.

Netherlands

From January 1, 2024, mobile phones, tablets and smart watches will be banned in classrooms, with exemptions only in special circumstances.

Canada

Starting in September this year, students from kindergarten to grade 6 in Ontario must put away their mobile phones and turn them to silent mode in school. They can only use them with permission. Students from grades 7 to 12 can use their mobile phones outside of class.

Japan

A mobile phone ban was issued for primary and secondary schools in 2008, but due to safety reasons (such as earthquake warnings), the mobile phone ban on campus was lifted in 2020, and smartphones and other devices were conditionally allowed to be brought into campus.

Compiled by Ta Kung Pao