Under new government instructions, headteachers in the United Kingdom will be instructed to prohibit students from using mobile phones during the school day.
The Department of Education wants pupils to be prohibited from using electronic devices both during breaks and in class.
Gillian Keegan, the Education Secretary, will make the announcement at the Conservative Party convention on Monday, October 2.
The government already urges principals to limit phone use, and several schools have implemented limitations.
According to reports, Gillian Keegan will ban smartphones from classrooms both during classes and during break times to ensure students can concentrate.
According to sources close to the negotiations, Ms Keegan will give fresh instructions to schools forcing them to use new steps to prevent students from using their phones.
“Gillian believes that mobile phones pose a serious challenge in terms of distraction, disruptive behaviour, and bullying,” a source told The Daily Mail. It is one of the most serious concerns that children and teachers face, so she will outline a strategy for empowering teachers to prohibit cell phones from classrooms.”
Mrs. Keegan will lay out the policy in Manchester at the Conservative Party Conference.
A ban on devices in schools was previously proposed by then education secretary Gavin Williamson in 2021, when he warned that smartphones were “distracting” and “damaging”.
At the time, he said: “Mobile phones are not just distracting, but when misused or overused, they can have a damaging effect on a pupil’s mental health and wellbeing. I want to put an end to this, making the school day mobile-free.
“In order for us to help pupils overcome the challenges from the pandemic and level up opportunity for all young people, we need to ensure they can benefit from calm classrooms which support them to thrive.”
