School principals and parents have given mobile phone bans at Australian schools almost universal support – and more restrictions are on their way for children using technology outside of school hours.
A survey of almost 1000 public school principals, conducted by the NSW Education Department, revealed that 95 per cent supported the mobile phone ban Labor promised before winning the March 2023 election.
At Riverstone High School, principal Rosemary Daubney was in her role for around a year before the ban starting in the final term of 2023 and says, “the difference has been absolutely amazing”.
“The social interaction that we’re seeing between students has been phenomenal.”
Daubney says the ban had only been in effect for a few days when she noticed its positive impact.
“I had to look out of my office window … wondering what that noise was, because the kids were actually talking to each other,” she says.
States and territories across the country committed to either banning, restricting or managing student mobile phone use at a national meeting in 2023.
Social media restrictions are next
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare says that while the policies have proven effective across the nation, more action is still needed to manage mobile phone access outside the classroom.
“We are seeing the difference … but once school ends, phone screens suck children back into the cesspit of social media and acts like poison for their physical and mental health,” Clare says.
Before parliament ends in November this year, federal legislation will be introduced to set a minimum age for social media access.
NSW Education Minister Prue Car says schoolteachers have also benefited from the mobile phone ban, with students who are “paying attention more, they’re learning more and they’re socialising with one another”.
“This is as much about supporting our expert teachers as it is ensuring that our children get a wonderful education.”
The survey also found 81 per cent of principals believed students’ learning had improved, with 87 per cent saying students were less distracted in the classroom and 86 per cent agreeing socialising had also improved.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said he supported federal efforts to restrict social media access by age.
“This is a global, unregulated experiment on the next generation without many limits being put in place,” Minns says.
