Brazil's school cellphone restriction reaches 92% adoption

Law No. 15.100/2025, enacted in January 2025, bars non‑pedagogical use of smartphones and tablets in Brazil’s basic‑education schools. A Ministry of Education (MEC) survey of 8,189 public and private schools in all 27 states, conducted a year after the law took effect, found that 92 % of schools have implemented the restriction. Before the law, 13 % of schools allowed unrestricted device use; after implementation, unrestricted use fell to zero. Use of devices in all school spaces rose from 20 % to 48 %.

School managers reported several positive outcomes: 97 % said student participation in class activities increased, 95 % observed better socialisation, 86 % noted reduced student anxiety, and 88 % linked the rule to fewer digital conflicts and cyber‑bullying incidents. Fifty‑five percent said physical aggression fell, and 67 % reported more manual, artistic and outdoor activities. However, challenges remain—39 % of directors said it is difficult to secure student compliance, 31 % struggle to monitor use during lessons and breaks, and the same proportion cite storage‑facility shortcomings. Forty‑five percent consider the implementation consolidated, while 47 % say it is still in progress.

MEC Secretary of Basic Education Kátia Schweickardt described the measure as “a living law, already internalised,” adding that society was already concerned about the “harmful use of phones in schools.” CEO of the Lemann Foundation Denis Mizne highlighted the broad political and civil‑society support that helped the law’s rapid uptake. The Ministry plans a second survey round to gather teachers’ and students’ perspectives.