Students need not own or use mobile phones, parents can call schools during emergencies: Jasmin Lau
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Stricter phone use guidelines in schools took effect in January.
ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
- For urgent contact, schools can relay messages or students use school phones, following stricter phone rules.
- From 2026, secondary students cannot use smartphones during recess, aiming to reduce distraction and promote face-to-face interaction.
- MOE provides schools guidelines for discipline, feedback is varied, and some schools consider mobile phone lockers; stricter rules are implemented across all schools.
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SINGAPORE – There is no need for students to own or use mobile phones for the purpose of urgent communication with their parents, Minister of State for Education and Digital Development Jasmin Lau said on Jan 13.
“Should parents have an urgent message to relay to their children, they can contact the school’s general office,” she said, adding that students can also call their parents using phones in the general office.
Ms Lau was responding to a parliamentary question from Ms Poh Li San (Sembawang West) on how parents can contact their children in cases of emergency, with stricter phone use guidelines in schools that took effect in January.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) had announced that from January 2026, secondary school students will no longer be allowed to use smartphones and smartwatches outside lesson time, including during recess and co-curricular activities.
Previously, restrictions applied only to regular curriculum time, with some schools allowing phone use during break times.
MOE had said that the changes are aimed at reducing distractions, promoting healthier digital habits and encouraging more face-to-face interaction, with schools that are early adopters reporting improved focus and student well-being.
Ms Poh also asked how the ministry will ensure that teachers will not be burdened with additional workload when enforcing these new rules. To this, Ms Lau said that MOE provides schools with guidelines to formulate discipline policies and school rules based on their student profile and needs.
Existing disciplinary policies in secondary schools for managing smartphone use during lessons remain in place, alongside the stricter phone-use rules, she said.
Feedback from the ground has been varied, though parents are mostly supportive of the mobile phone ban in schools, she added.
Some schools still have questions about implementing the guidelines, and MOE is engaging them and their leaders, said Ms Lau.
“We are also mindful that the ban should improve the overall experience of both teachers and students in the school,” she added.
While MOE said that students’ devices would have to be kept in designated storage areas such as lockers or in their bags during school hours, some schools have opted for mobile phone lockers.
The Straits Times had reported that more schools in Singapore are installing mobile phone lockers in 2026 to store students’ devices during school hours.
Unlike general lockers used to store items like files and textbooks, these lockers are specifically for mobile devices and are typically handled by school teachers.
Children’s device habits in Singapore came into sharper focus in 2025, with stricter rules introduced across pre-schools and primary and secondary schools.
For instance, pre-schools had to follow an updated code of practice from February 2025.
This includes a ban on screen time for infants up to 18 months, and using devices only for teaching and learning purposes for children aged 18 months to six years.
