Violent phone related issues at SA high schools hit a new low, with students more focussed

Two years on, new data shows startling results reinforcing the government’s move to ban mobile phones in schools.

A huge majority of principals and teachers say they are dealing with fewer “critical incidents” involving mobile phones since bans were introduced.

The state government on Sunday released the results of a survey of parents, staff and students which had more than 3000 submissions.

Three-quarters of school leaders and two-thirds of teachers said they were dealing with fewer serious incidents.

Even bigger proportions, as high as 93 per cent for principals, said staff were spending less time sorting out issues related to device use and social media. Most also said students were engaging in more positive activities in break times and that children were more focused on class learning.

New data shows violent and digital incidents are down nearly 40 per cent since the introduction of mobile phone bans in SA public high schools: Picture: Emma Brasier

Education Minister Blair Boyer said the upsides and benefits for students, but also staff, from the ban were something the state needed to continue working towards. Picture: Emma Brasier

Critical incidents involving social media dropped by 57 per cent from 2023 to 2024, and those relating to “behaviour issues involving a device” – such as students filming fights – were down by 38 per cent.

There are many categories of critical incidents but cases can include cyber bullying, circulation of explicit images or derogatory content posted online, as well as violence.

Education Minister Blair Boyer said: “The thing that one principal said to me from a high school in the northeast, which has stuck with me … he said ‘the schoolyard now looks like the schoolyard of the 1990s’, and that’s the one the Premier (Peter Malinauskas) and I remember,” Mr Boyer said.

Adelaide High School was a prime example of the ban having positive effects, Mr Boyer said, with the introduction of more than 20 clubs from robotics and philosophy and the Harry Potter club.

Principal Connie Priolo said students had been more focused in learning, and were now spending their breaks building friendships and taking part in activities, when they were previously “absorbed” with their phones.

Year 10 student Rudra Mehta, 14, said not reaching for his phone at school had bled into his home life.

“You can learn without it,” he said. “My grades have gone up … and (since the ban), these clubs are becoming more student-driven, students are taking more interests in what they want.”

Adelaide High School Year 10 students Yanni Thanos (15), Lauren Ames (16), Katie Le (15) and Rudra Mehta (14). Picture: Emma Brasier

Another year 10 student, Lauren Ames, 16, said when she was in primary school she would play on the oval and spend time with friends, but when she moved to high school everyone’s focus was on their phones.

“We all did it, so we all felt like we had to,” she said.

Now, Lauren enjoys taking part in school clubs and getting back to spending time with friends, rather than being on her phone.

Australian children under 16 will be banned from social media by December, after the federal government announced its national framework for online safety.