When will the ban come into force?
The chair of the inquiry, Björn Hansson, proposed that the ban comes into force in July 2026, effectively meaning that it will apply from the start of the autumn term in mid-August next year.
He said that although the likely benefits in terms of "improved conditions for schools' efforts on safety and a calm studying environment", gave good reason for the ban to be put in place "as soon as possible", in practice schools would need time to prepare.
The bill would also, he added, need time to be prepared and then voted on in parliament, which presumably in his view made it impractical to try to bring in the phone ban by the start of the autumn term this year.
Which schools will the ban cover?
The ban is proposed to cover all schools that are part of compulsory education (with pupils between the ages of 6 and 16 years old).
This will include the preschool class, elementary school, or grundskolan, compulsory school for pupils with intellectual disabilities (anpassade grundskolan), compulsory special needs schools (specialskolan) and Sami schools (sameskolan).
It will also include the after-school activities (fritidshemmet) departments hosted at these schools.
It will not cover upper secondary school or gymnasieskola, municipal adult education centres (kommunal vuxenutbildning), or preschools or kindergartens.
How will the phone ban work?
Rather than letting pupils keep their phones in their bags or jackets, the inquiry proposes a compulsory collection of devices at the start of the school day, with their return at the end of each school day.
The mandatory collection will initially only apply to pupils' mobile phones. However, the headteacher will have the authority to decide if other electronic communication equipment, such as smartwatches, should also be collected at the start of each school day and returned at the end.
The inquiry suggests that schools might be able to set up named mobile phone compartments, use a numbered tag system, or set up special storage cabinets for mobile phones.
The schools will be required to decide on written rules which clearly state the consequences if a pupil breaks the mobile phone ban.
Will there be any exceptions to the ban?
Yes. The inquiry says that there should be an exception for pedagogical use, with headteachers and teachers allowed to let pupils keep their mobile phones if required as part of an exercise which will promote pupils' development and learning.
Pupils with special needs and requiring extra support can get permission to keep their mobile phone if it is a necessary aid supporting their learning.
Head teachers are also allowed to give a pupil a temporary exemption if they have a special need to contact family or others during the school day, for medical reasons such as monitoring blood sugar for a diabetic, if they have dyscalculia or neurodevelopmental disorders (such as ADHD or autism) and use their phone as a time management aid, or if they are new to Sweden and use their phone as a translation device.
What is the justification for bringing in a ban?
The inquiry cites research showing that mobile phone use has a negative impact on learning and well-being, and research showing phones can distract students and lead to disciplinary problems in the classroom, even if they are left in students' bags.
The inquiry also suggests that a ban could increase safety levels in Swedish schools and reduce the amount of cyberbullying and digital harassment.
It also predicts that a phone ban would prompt pupils to interact with each other more to learn about social norms and develop social interaction skills.
How many schools in Sweden already have phone bans?
Eight out of ten elementary and lower secondary schools in Sweden have already imposed bans on mobile phones during school hours.
Which other countries have brought in national bans on phones in schools?
Several European countries have also introduced national mobile phone bans in schools. These include France, Spain, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, and Hungary. France has had a national ban on mobile phone use in schools for students up to the age of 14 since 2018.
Comments