Extremadura limits mobile phone use in classrooms

The Extremadura regional government has introduced new regulations regarding the use of personal mobile devices in classrooms through Instruction 6/2026. The policy establishes specific criteria for when students may use smartphones and other digital tools during lessons.

Under the new rules, students in Baccalaureate and Vocational Training (FP) must generally keep their smartphones turned off. Use is only permitted when a teacher provides a duly justified educational purpose. In Secondary Education, the use of personal devices is even more restricted, allowed only in exceptional and “very well justified” circumstances.

Education Minister Sandra Valencia noted that the regulation distinguishes between personal devices and those provided by educational centers, recommending the use of school-issued equipment. The measure aims to provide teachers with common criteria for managing digital tools in the classroom.