Queensland state schools to ban mobile phones in term one, 2024

From term one next year mobile phones will be banned in all Queensland State schools in a move designed to reduce distraction and bullying.

Students arriving for the first day of school will have a new step added to their morning routine with the Queensland Government banning mobile phone use in state schools.

The ban brings Queensland in line with other Australian states in restricting use of personal devices.

It will be up to individual schools to decide how they will enforce the ban.

Some will allow students to keep their phone on them provided they are kept in reception-proof pouches, while others may require students to keep their phone in their lockers.

To support schools and parents with the transition, the State Government has launched a new website and will run an advertising campaign.

Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace said the phone ban will reduce bullying and improve academic performance. Picture David Clark

“Putting mobile phones ‘away for the day’ will encourage face-to-face social interactions between students as well as promoting their health and wellbeing by providing more opportunities for physical activity during break times,” Education Minister Grace Grace said.

“It will also reduce the exposure of students to the unsafe or inappropriate use of technology, such as cyber-bullying, accessing harmful content or breaches of personal privacy.”

The mobile phone ban will extend to wearable devices like smartwatches, which can be worn, but must have notifications switched off, so that phone calls, messages and other notifications cannot be sent or received during school hours.

The ban has been welcomed by education experts who see it is a valuable step in helping address the worrying increase in students self-reporting anxiety and bullying.

Dr Tania Leach from the University of Southern Queensland’s School of Education said the ban was backed by solid research.

University of Southern Queensland senior education lecturer Dr Tania Leach backed the phone ban, saying will help students develop emotional intelligence. Photo: Supplied.

“This is a great opportunity to help the next generation of students to develop the really important communication skills they need to advocate for themselves and develop tools to help them when they leave school and become members of our community,” she said.

“Having a statewide policy supports the schools and teachers, particularly when some families say this is a silly rule.”

It is hoped the ban will reduce classroom distractions and increase face-to-face interaction.

While the perils of excessive screen-time have been well documented, Dr Leach said their use has come into sharp focus post-covid.

She said excessive screen time had been linked to reduced social skills and conflict resolution, and an increased anxiety.

Some schools will require students to keep their phones in reception-proof punches. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“When talking face-to-face, when we say something wrong we stop and think about how it has been received, because we get that immediate feedback,” Dr Leach said.

“This is how you learn how to behave.

“But when you are behind the screen you are protected, you can throw off comments you don’t think through, and there is a lack of emotional intelligence being developed.

“Children do it so quickly that they don’t pause to think about the impact of what they are saying and as kids are developing they need to pause and think through their decisions.”

There are also hopes that banning phones will reduce the instance of bully, or of bully being filmed and shared on social media.

“I think the ban will stick and we should support it as a community,” Dr Leach said

“We need to teach kids about intrinsic social behaviour rather than doing something for the likes.

How the school phone ban works

– Students are allowed to bring their mobile phone or wearable device to school, to use their phone outside of school hours to support safe travel, and to make contact with parents, friends and part-time employers.

– Students are allowed to bring their mobile phone or wearable device to school. Students will be able to use their phone outside of school hours to support safe travel, and to make contact with parents, friends and part-time employers.

– Exemptions will be made available for students who require access to their mobile phone or wearable device for health monitoring purposes.

– Exemptions will be made available for students who require access to their mobile phone or wearable device for learning, medical, disability and/or wellbeing reasons.

– In some circumstances, teachers may give permission for students to use their mobile phone or wearable device in the classroom, for a specific and agreed educational purpose.

– You can continue to contact your child through existing school processes, such as phoning the school office.

– Students will be allowed to use their phones to make in-school payments for tuckshop, uniform shop and office payments.

Originally published as Queensland state schools to ban mobile phones in term one, 2024