Brisbane students’ to have phones locked in pouches

A Brisbane school is trialling new technology that will automatically lock up students’ mobile phones as they enter the front gate.

A BRISBANE school is the first in the state to trial a tech-savvy pouch that locks students’ phones inside as they enter the school gate, in a bid to improve student focus.

Corinda State High School is trialling the use of mobile phone pouches from US company Yondr, and with 2000 pouches in use, it is one of the largest schools in the world using the program.

Amber Benz 14, Jay-J Lavatai 15 from Corinda State High School, the first Queensland school to trial Yondr pouches. Picture: Peter Wallis

“Students, parents and staff have embraced the changes, and there has been a noticeable improvement in concentration for students and an increase in face-to-face conversations around the school grounds,” Corinda State High School principal Helen Jamieson said.

A Yondr spokesperson said: “Students are assigned Yondr pouches much like they are assigned textbooks at the beginning of the school year. The Yondr pouch has a mechanical lock that opens when tapped against the unlocking base.

“Students maintain possession of their phones throughout the day.”