Smartphones Should Be Banned in Schools: UNESCO's Call

Smartphones should be banned in schools to eliminate issues arising during the learning process, improve education, and protect children from cyber threats, a UN report states. This is reported by The Guardian.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) argues that there is evidence linking excessive mobile phone use to a decrease in educational effectiveness and that it negatively impacts children's emotional stability.

According to UNESCO, the call for a ban on smartphones sends a clear message that digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, should always be subject to an "human-centered vision" of education and should never replace face-to-face interaction with teachers.

UNESCO has warned policymakers about the unconsidered inclusion of digital technologies, claiming that their positive impact on learning outcomes and economic efficiency may be overstated, and new does not always mean better. "Not all changes are progress. Just because something can be done, doesn’t mean it should be done,” the report states.

“The digital revolution has immense potential, but attention must be paid to how it is used in education,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay.

Excessive or inappropriate use of digital technologies by students in the classroom and at home, whether it be smartphones, tablets, or laptops, can distract, disrupt, and have a detrimental effect on learning, the report suggests. It cites extensive international assessment data showing a "negative correlation" between excessive use of digital technologies and student performance.

Based on an analysis of the educational systems of 200 countries, UNESCO estimates that one in six countries has banned smartphones in schools. These include France and the Netherlands.

Announcing the ban this month, Netherlands Education Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf stated, “Students need to be able to focus and have the opportunity to learn well, while mobile phones are a distraction, as evidenced by scientific research. We must protect students from this.”