Mobile Phone Ban Working, Say Principals

The New South Wales state government’s 2023 decision to ban mobile phones in thousands of public school classrooms is working, according to a survey of more than 1,000 principals—95 percent of whom reported positive results. The survey, conducted by the state Education Department, found 81 percent of principals agreed student learning had improved, while 87 percent said students were less distracted in the classroom, and 86 percent said socialising had improved. The ban was introduced at the beginning of term 4 in 2023. “One year in, it’s clear this was the right decision,” Premier Chris Minns said in a statement on Oct. 21. “Without the distraction of a mobile phone in their pockets, students have been able to focus on their learning while building stronger relationships with their classmates. This is also about supporting our state’s teachers to be able to teach engaged classrooms without the distraction of social media.”...