NSW students back to class without phones – leaving Qld as last cab off rank
Students will have to find another distraction as they return to class under the new mobile phone ban in NSW high schools.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns learns how to check a phone in during a visit to Condell Park High School. All parents affected will be offered tutoring - over the phone. (AAP Image/Steven Saphore)
NSW government high schools will join government primary schools in enforcing a ban on mobile phones during school hours when Term Four begins on Monday.
Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia already have bans in place while Queensland students will face one from next year.
The ACT is asking its residents for feedback on a possible ban.
NSW Premier Chris Minns stressed the importance of the ban which will apply “across the board”.
“It’s essential to ensure that young people in particular can focus on the schoolwork in front of them and teachers have an attentive class,” he said on Sunday.
An explosion in phone use in schools had coincided with declining test scores, he said.
He cited UK research that indicated schools with phone bans had better academic outcomes for 16-year-olds.
“Anyone can see that these mobile phones are designed to distract young people, with their notifications, social media, gaming technology.
“We cannot expect young people to focus on the academic work while they’ve got a phone pinging in their ear every other second,” he said.
The policy – a Minns government election pledge – will affect 320,000 students in 400 schools.
Each school will be able to decide how to implement the ban, with some opting for lockable pouches, while others use lockers, bags or require students to hand in their phones at the beginning of the school day.
