UNESCO proposes ban on the use of smartphones in schools globally

UNESCO proposes a ban on the use of smartphones in schools globally!

“Smartphones should be banned from schools to tackle classroom disruption, improve learning and help protect children from cyberbullying,” a UN report recommends.


UNESCO, the UN’s education, science, and culture agency, said there was evidence that excessive mobile phone use was linked to reduced educational performance and that high levels of screen time had a negative effect on children’s emotional stability.

The report added that its call for a smartphone ban sent a clear message that digital technology as a whole, including artificial intelligence, should always be subservient to a “human-centered vision” of education, and never supplant face-to-face interaction with teachers.

UNESCO also warned policymakers against an unthinking embrace of digital technology, arguing that its positive impact on learning outcomes and economic efficiency could be overstated, and new was not always better.

“Not all change constitutes progress. Just because something can be done does not mean it should be done,” the report concluded.

“The digital revolution holds immeasurable potential but, just as warnings have been voiced for how it should be regulated in society, similar attention must be paid to the way it is used in education,” stated UNESCO’s director general, Audrey Azoulay.

She added: “Its use must be for enhanced learning experiences and for the wellbeing of students and teachers, not to their detriment. Keep the needs of the learner first and support teachers. Online connections are no substitute for human interaction.”