SA students praise strict phone ban after data shows spike in positive social activity and interactions within schools

A policy once detested by students all over SA, has now revived age-old social activities like student-led clubs, sports and face-to-face conversations.

A policy once unpopular policy with high school students across South Australia has been slowly embraced, as the school mobile phone ban marks two years since coming into effect.

The state introduced the ­nation’s strictest mobile phone ban in 2023, including prohibiting phone use during recess breaks, to combat anti-social ­behaviour at schools.

Students from Charles Campbell College are among those who have seen a positive trend in social behaviour since the ban came into effect, including the revival of student-led clubs.

Year 9 student Divpinder Kaur said students were rediscovering old-school activities like sport, clubs and face-to-face friendships.

“Rather than just attached with their phones, (students are) talking more now and knowing more about each other’s life now,” the 14-year-old said.

“Before, it’s just all about pranking each other, ­recording it and then posting on social media … it automatically just changes how they interact with each other.”

The Department of Education has reported a 72 per cent drop in negative incidents ­related to mobile phone usage – including noncompliance, cyber-bullying and circulation of explicit content – since the ban has been in place.

A further 80.5 per cent drop in social media issues has been noted when comparing January to June 2025 with the same period two years ago.

“I do think there was some frustration at first,” year 11 student Riley Carter, 16, said.

“As the ban has gone on, people sort of have become more sympathetic to it … for students just entering high school, it’s a really good change for them to have just ­because there’s less of a fear around any bullying, particularly online through social media.”

Education Minister Blair Boyer revealed there was a 72 per cent drop in negative phone-related activity since 2023 in high schools. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Education Minister Blair Boyer said that the positive impact of the ban has “eclipsed the state government’s expectations”.

“I don’t think anyone anticipated that we would see data as positive as this in such a relatively short period of time,” he said.

“This tells us everything we need to know around the extent to which these things had actually taken over our lives and that flowed onto schools as well, not just in the classroom in terms of the disruption that they would cause, but also in the schoolyard.”

The minister indicated he was in favour of keeping the ban in place.

“I can’t imagine who would be silly enough to remove the ban,” he said.

“Keeping in mind other states have a ban, but students are able to access their phone during recess and lunch — I don’t support that.

“There’s a reason we’ve kept that away from South Australia and if there’s a way we can protect that, I’m always open to it.”

Originally published as SA students praise strict phone ban after data shows spike in positive social activity and interactions within schools