South Australian Education Minister Blair Boyer says preliminary data – the first analysis available since the statewide public high school mobile phone ban was introduced at the beginning of term three in 2023 – shows that the state is “on the right track”.
That track has seen the number of violent schoolyard incidents drop significantly since the ban, with the new data showing 228 violent incidents in terms three and four of 2023 after the ban had been implemented, compared to 319 in the same terms of the 2022 school year.
“It’s still early days but I’m pleased to see this positive progress – I’ve always said our government will take the necessary action to get on top of the issues we inherited and that’s what we’re doing,” Mr Boyer says.
“This ban is about better academic outcomes for students free from distraction, improved social skills development, and reducing cyberbullying.”
The 29 per cent decrease in reported incidents, which include high school students punching and kicking each other, is a positive outcome from a ban that, Mr Boyer says, was aimed at fostering better face-to-face social relationships and improving learning environments.
Creating a better-connected school culture
“Anecdotally, I’ve had principals tell me about how the culture in the schoolyard has changed because kids are playing together and chatting, rather than heads down looking at their phones,” he says.
The ban applies to all personal devices that can connect to the internet, including smart watches, tablets, and mobile phones. It doesn’t apply to school-owned technologies or permitted learning devices.
“The work begun by the former Liberal government to better regulate the use of mobile phones in schools, which has been expanded by the new government, does seem to be connected to some positive results,” says SA Opposition education spokesman John Gardner.
“However, we still hear all too often about examples of dreadful cyber-bullying taking place outside of school hours, so it is important that we do not get ahead of ourselves in declaring victory.”
