Government wants to ban the use of cell phones in public and private schools

O Ministry of Education (MEC) will release a bill in October that aims to prohibit the use of cell phones in schools, valid for both public and private institutions in Brazil.

Report cites harm to learning

According to the proposal, the objective is to contain the damage caused by excessive use of screens in childhood and adolescence.

In a statement to Folha de S.Paulo, Education Minister Camilo Santana stated that the project’s objective is supported by a 2023 report from the Unesco which recommends banning cell phones in schools. The report states that the device hinders learning efficiency and also causes mental health problems.

In 2023, the City of RJ launched a public consultation on the topic. 10,000 Rio residents participated. 80% were in favor of the ban. The initiative resulted in a decree banning the use of cell phones in municipal schools in Rio de Janeiro.

In Ceará, this type of restriction has been a reality for a long time. State law No. 14,146/08 prohibits the use of electronic devices, including cell phones, during school hours. The Legislative Assembly of São Paulo is also discussing a bill to ban the use of cell phones in public and private schools in the state.

One of the countries that is moving in this same direction is the United Kingdom, which already has some prohibitions regarding the use of cell phones in some educational institutions.

Check out other countries that prohibit the use of cell phones in schools below:

• Switzerland;
• Italy;
• Netherlands;
• Finland;
• Denmark;
• Spain;
• Portugal;
• Mexico.

According to the TIC Educação 2023 survey, released in early August by the Internet Steering Committee in Brazil, cell phones are already banned in 28% of urban and rural schools in the country. The survey also shows that 6 out of 10 schools have some type of rule for the use of the device, such as determining specific times and places where use is permitted.