Netherlands: Cell phones banned in classes from January

Mobile phones and other smartwatches disrupt children’s learning and should therefore be banned in secondary schools, the Dutch government said in a statement on Tuesday. Hague is asking the country’s school administrations to agree internal regulations with teachers, parents and students by October to remove these devices from classrooms from January.

“There is growing evidence that cell phones can be harmful during lessons,” La Haye said. Students can concentrate less and their performance suffers. For this reason, mobile phones, tablets or connected watches are no longer permitted in 1st classes.^R January 2024.”

“More and more contested”

In a letter to the lower house of parliament, Education Minister Robert Dijkgraff says he hopes the cultural change will “positively affect the learning environment in classrooms”.

“By 2023, mobile phones will be an essential part of our daily lives,” he writes. “They provide access to information, connect people and form an important tool in modern society. However, their role in the classroom is increasingly contested,” continued Robert Dijkraff.

In the learning environment

The minister explains that he has discussed this with teachers, scientists, parents and students for several months. “All parties involved emphasize the importance of a learning environment where students can focus and participate.” According to Robert Dijkgraaf, scientific studies show that “non-academic use of mobile phones is detrimental to this environment”.

Mark Rudd’s centre-right coalition government has yet to impose a formal ban on phones in class, but announces it reserves the right to do so after an initial assessment of the situation in June 2024.

(AFP)Show comments