A blanket ban on mobile phones is coming to NSW public high schools tomorrow, with phones to be banished from the classroom and banned during recess and lunch.
As Term 4 begins at public schools tomorrow, students will be told to hand their phones in at the start of the day, store them in their locker, or place them in a lockable pouch.
Students will still be able to use their phones on campus before and after school hours.
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The government announced the sweeping move in April 2023, with the new rule coming in from the start of Term 4 of the NSW school year.
Some high schools around the state have already banned the use of mobile phones at school.
As one of Premier Chris Minns election promises, the ban will now be expanded to all public high schools in the state.
In April, Chris Minns said, "These bans will be applied with common sense and in consultation with the experts, to ensure it works to improve our children's learning outcomes."
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The NSW government started consulting with schools on options to implement the ban in April.
"I know many parents who are anxious about the pervasiveness of phones and technology in our children's learning environments," Minns said at the time.
Prue Car, the Deputy Premier and State Minister for Education and Early Learning, said the ban "will create a level playing field, reduce distractions in classrooms, help address cyberbullying issues and improve student learning outcomes".
State governments across the country have been increasing their measures to control phones in the classroom.
Queensland students will soon also be banned from using phones and smartwatches at school, including during break times.
The change is due to arrive on the first day of Term 1 in 2024.
Mobile phones were banned in government schools across Victoria in 2020.
Public schools across South Australia banned mobile phones since the beginning of the year.
There, the ban is enforced in 44 government schools.
Students aren't allowed to use their phones in class or during recess and lunch. Some schools have even deployed lockable phone pouches.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said the ban has been "overwhelmingly successful".
"Our experience in South Australia is that there is no harm done as the result of a young person not touching their phone from the beginning to the end," he said.
