SA primary schools to ban mobile phones from 2021, tighter rules for secondary

Primary students must focus on learning, not distractions on their phone, the Government says. But secondary schools can still pick their own rules.

Mobile phones will be banned in primary schools next year, the State Government says.

Students at public schools will have to put the phones away during school hours under a policy announced by Education Minister John Gardner.

“We understand that families may want their child to have a phone while travelling to and from school so they can contact them outside school hours,” he said.

“This is a non-negotiable aspect of the policy.

“However, we believe that during school hours it is sensible for primary students to store their personal devices safely so they can focus on learning.”

Storage will be decided by individual schools and could be in a central location, in lockers or school bags or kept on or with the student.

At secondary level, schools will continue to decide the rules for their site.

This could include phones:

- Being restricted at specified times.

- Only being allowed when authorised by a teacher for a learning task or for off-site excursions.

- Having different rules depending on the year level.

Mr Gardner has published a draft for discussion with the intention the policy will apply as soon as possible next year.

Currently, all public schools set their own rules.

SA Primary Principals Association president Angela Falkenberg said there would need to be consultation with schools and councils on how the policy would work.

“Leaders and teachers would certainly say children can live without their phone,” she said.

“They don’t necessarily need it for class.”

However, she was concerned that, in these times of heightened anxieties, families may be reluctant to sever the link.

There also would be practical matters to resolve such as storing phones and minimising teachers’ time to administer the rules.

Students would not have access to phones at lunch or recess.

SA Secondary Principals Association president Peter Mader welcomed high schools retaining autonomy.

“There are reasons why some schools will want mobile devices in use because they are such a great learning tool,” he said.

“In the third decade of the 21st century it would be anachronistic to impose a blanket ban on mobile phones across all secondary education settings.”

The policy establishes formal guidelines for secondary schools to decide their rules.

These include considering views of students, staff, families and governing councils as well as positive and negative effects on learning.

The restrictions will not apply to laptops or tablets sanctioned for use by the school.

The Education Department does not provide insurance for devices brought to school and the policy cautions even with a user agreement, schools could be liable for loss or damage of phones stored or confiscated.

Individual exemptions would be granted for reasons such as health, learning programs for disability or language or a family’s special circumstances.

Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas last year said Labor’s policy was a ban at primary and secondary levels. A trial would iron out practical issues and seek alternatives for using phones for learning tasks.

Opposition education spokesman Blair Boyer welcomed the Government’s move on primary school restrictions.

“We also look forward to working with the Government to expand this policy to high schools,” he said.

The Government does not have collated data on how individual schools now treat mobiles.