Israel bans mobile phones in primary schools

Jerusalem: Israel will ban children from using mobile phones in primary schools from February, the education ministry’s website said Friday, emphasising the devices’ “negative effects” on students.

In implementing the ban, Israel will join a growing number of countries moving to prevent children from accessing their phones while in educational establishments.

“From February 2, a new policy will be implemented in primary schools: children will be prohibited from using mobile phones on school premises,” the education ministry said in a statement.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch said the policy was “based on studies in Israel and around the world, as well as on the (ministry’s) commitment to a healthy and safe educational environment, aimed at reducing the negative effects of students’ use of phones.”

“Its implementation will include educational programmes in the classroom and dialogue with parents in order to instil balanced phone use, prevent excessive use of social media (by children) and reduce exposure to age-inappropriate content,” the statement added.

Until now, individual schools could decide to ban the use of mobile phones on their premises.

Since the start of the school year in September, smartphones have been banned from all schools in the coastal hub of Tel Aviv, through a decision from the municipality.

Several countries have already instituted such bans on mobile phones in schools, including Australia and France.

UN culture and education body UNESCO said that at the end of 2024, 40 percent of education systems around the world had some sort of ban on smartphone use in schools, up from 30 percent a year earlier.