Poland plans to ban mobile phone use by under-16s in schools
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Countries including the Netherlands, South Korea and Italy have banned smartphones in schools.
PHOTO: AFP
WARSAW - Poland plans to ban the use of mobile phones by under-16s in schools from Sept 1, said its Education Minister on March 18, joining a growing list of countries that are moving to limit children’s screen time and social media use.
Countries including the Netherlands, South Korea and Italy have banned smartphones in schools due to concerns over their impact on concentration and behaviour. Others have banned – or are considering banning – children’s access to social media.
“We are currently finalising work on a major legislative change, crucial for schools, which will result in a ban on mobile phone use in primary schools from Sept 1, 2026,” Ms Barbara Nowacka told reporters.
In Poland, children aged seven to 15 attend primary school.
Ms Nowacka said using phones in school “cannot be the norm because we see how dependent children are on the internet”.
In February, she outlined plans to ban children under the age of 15 from using social media, opening the door to a potential clash with major US tech firms.
