Brussels, Oct. 2, (dpa/GNA) – A regional government in Belgium voted on Wednesday to ban the recreational use of smartphones and other electronic devices by pupils in French-speaking schools.
The measure is to come into effect from August 2025, when the next school year starts, and is to apply to pupils of all ages from pre-school to high school, Belgian news agency Belga reported.
Smartphones, tablets, and other connected devices are subject to the ban which is to be implemented in public schools in Brussels and the French-speaking Wallonia region.
The aim of the new ban is to improve learning results and concentration, prevent cyber-bullying and contribute to the well-being of students.
“It is essential to preserve their physical and mental health by regulating the use of screens, particularly at school,” Belga quoted the regional health minister Yves Coppieters as saying.
“We need to be brave and take action. It’s not a question of rejecting technology, but of regulating its use so that it doesn’t become a danger for our young people,” he said.
The educational use of smartphones in classrooms will still be authorized as well as devices used by pupils with disabilities or health conditions, Belga wrote.
Other European countries, including France, Finland, Italy and the Netherlands, have already restricted the use of digital devices in schools, Belga reported.
GNA