Spain’s Department of Education is proposing a ban on mobile phone use during class hours in schools, due to increasing concern among parents and teachers, according to an official statement.
However, the proposed ban would allow each teacher in colleges and high schools to decide whether phone use is necessary in their class.
Education Minister Pilar Alegria explained, following a meeting with regional representatives, that her aim is to address the shared concerns of many families and the wider education community. “There is growing concern in our society,” the Education Minister noted.
An increasing number of parent-teacher associations in Spain are demanding stricter regulation or an outright ban on mobile phones in schools.
To implement the ban, the central government will first need to reach an agreement with regional authorities, at negotiations planned for early January.
Recent studies by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have highlighted the negative impact of excessive smartphone use on students’ attention and learning in several countries.
