Starting tomorrow, the use of cell phones will be prohibited in schools.
Austria's Education Minister, Christoph Wiederkehr of NEOS, has signed off on a new rule that bans mobile phones in schools, set to kick off on Thursday, even though it falls on a public holiday when schools are closed. However, there are some exceptions to the ban.
For one, teachers may allow the use of a mobile phone for lesson-related purposes or in case of medical emergencies. Furthermore, on multi-day school trips, students will be permitted to use their devices in an age-appropriate manner.
In detail, the new policy prohibits mobile phones and smartwatches in primary and secondary schools during school hours. But, students can make brief contacts with their families, not for non-educational purposes, while on school premises. Mobile phones might be used only when actively needed for lessons or classroom activities, provided they are under teacher supervision.
The reasoning behind this ban is to cultivate a more focused and socially-skilled learning environment, minimizing distractions. At the same time, schools will have to teach digital literacy and address online risks as required by this new rule. Schools will be responsible for dealing with infringements, with the government backing them to enforce device-free classroom environments. The ban is a nationwide rule for compulsory education institutions.
- Austria's Education Minister, Christoph Wiederkehr, has signed a new regulation that bans mobile phones in schools, effective on Thursday, despite it being a public holiday.
- The ban allows exceptions, such as for teachers who may allow phone usage for lesson-related purposes or in case of medical emergencies.
- During multi-day school trips, students are permitted to use their devices in an age-appropriate manner.
- The policy prohibits mobile phones and smartwatches in primary and secondary schools during school hours, but allows brief contacts with families while on school premises, strictly for non-educational purposes.
- The aim of this ban is to foster a more focused and socially-skilled learning environment and to teach digital literacy, while schools remain responsible for enforcing device-free classroom environments as part of this nationwide rule for compulsory education institutions.
