European Union countries take action: They are introducing bans one by one

With the start of the new academic year in Europe, governments are successively deciding to ban smartphones in schools of various levels.

While some countries are evaluating the implementation, in others, the initiative is left to the schools instead of a ban, and an increasing number of schools are restricting smartphone use.

The decision taken in Hungary sparked protests by teachers, parents, and students at the beginning of the month on the grounds that it was "old-fashioned."

However, an increasing number of countries are deciding to ban the use of smartphones in schools, with the goal of reducing peer bullying and improving learning, arguing that the fact that students use laptops in most classrooms already provides the necessary connection to the digital world.

NETHERLANDS

The Netherlands has become the latest country to join the practice already in place in Italy and (regionally) in Spain.

In the Netherlands, the use of smartphones has been banned in primary schools, following similar bans in middle and high schools, on the grounds that they distract students and negatively affect exam results.

Students will only be permitted to use smartphones for educational purposes during relevant lessons or in exceptional circumstances, such as for health reasons or due to physical disabilities.

BELGIUM

Shortly after the Netherlands, the Wallonia-Brussels Education Network (WBE), which oversees French-language schools in Belgium, has adopted a similar decision.

As of the 2024-2025 academic year, which began on August 26, primary and secondary school students are prohibited from bringing smartphones to 373 French-language schools.

Previously, all schools implemented their own rules. Accordingly, while some schools banned all types of electronic devices from being brought onto school premises, others showed flexibility.

The WBE justified its decision by citing the increasing number of harassment incidents resulting from students taking photos of one another with smartphones and sharing them on social media platforms.

GREECE

According to a decision made in Greece, students will be allowed to bring their phones to school, but they will not be permitted to take them out of their bags.

It was reported that the initiative, launched under the slogan "Mobile phones in the bag," was implemented because phone usage negatively affects the learning process and concentration.

FRANCE

A pilot program will be launched in about 200 secondary schools in France, requiring students to lock their phones in lockers.

The Ministry of Education aims to expand the ban nationwide in 2025 if the pilot is successful.

In Ireland, the option of a complete ban on smartphone use for students under 16 is being discussed.

Schools in Germany, Poland, Denmark, Portugal, and Croatia also have their own policies. However, in these countries, schools are taking measures to limit phone use on their premises.

For instance, it is known that approximately 90 percent of schools in Denmark have banned the use of mobile phones.

The impact of excessive screen time on children's mental health has recently occupied a place on the EU's political agenda.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed this issue in the program she prepared for her next 5-year term.

Von der Leyen warned, "Early years and adolescence are critical for brain and personality development. These are also times when one is vulnerable to the harms of social media and excessive screen time."

Commenting on the matter, European Commission Spokesperson Johanna Bernsel stated that bans on smartphone use in schools fall under the jurisdiction of national governments, not the EU, but noted that the Commission's expert group has published guidelines containing recommendations on this subject.