Call for national approach to phone ban by federal Education Minister

Parents are calling for more to be done to prevent students from using their phones in school hours across the country as one state resists implementing a ban.

Rules around mobile phone use in schools could be implemented in every state in Australia with growing calls for a national policy.

Queensland is the only state not to have implemented phone rules for state schools, with other jurisdictions either imposing a ban or asking students to turn them off.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare says that he will meet with his state and territory counterparts in the coming months to discuss implementing a national policy.

Jason Clare said that a national policy on phones will be top of the agenda when education ministers meet later this year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brendan Read

NSW will join Victoria, WA and Tasmania in introducing blanket phone bans across all schools. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

“I think the time has come for a national approach to the banning or the restriction, the use of mobile phones by students in schools,” he told ABC Radio Brisbane.

“I think there is a good argument that we should be moving to a national best practice approach. And I’m intending to put this on the agenda when education ministers meet again in the middle of this year.

“But also not make the decision on our own, talk to parents, talk to principals, talk to teachers about what‘s the best approach to take.”

NSW is the latest state to introduce rules around mobile phones, banning their use in public secondary schools from Term 4 2023 with the ban was already in place in NSW public primary schools.

The ban will apply during class, as well as during recess and lunch times.

“I know many parents who are anxious about the pervasiveness of phones and technology in our children’s learning environments,” NSW Premier Chris Minns said.

Queensland has resisted putting phone rules in place. Picture NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier

“It’s time to clear our classrooms of unnecessary distractions and create better environments for learning.”

There are also blanket bans for phones in public schools in Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania.

South Australia is trailing phone restrictions with a ban in place in 44 government schools, while mobiles aren’t allowed at Northern Territory primary schools and high school students must turn them off during the day.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that her state would “step up to the plate” if Mr Clare’s desire for a national phone policy comes into place.