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School smartphone restriction initiatives

Updated 6 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-28 18:25 UTC → 2026-08-29 13:57 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In late July 2026, Pereira, Colombia approved a policy requiring public schools to post clear mobile-phone rules to reduce classroom distractions and protect students’ mental health. The policy, authored by councilors Wilfor López and Diego Agudelo, is not a total ban but requires schools to amend their convivencia manuals within six months. Simultaneously, Spain’s Adolescencia Libre de Móviles campaign urged families to delay children’s first smartphone until age 16, citing links to depression, sleep problems and online risks. A survey of over 22,000 Catalan families showed 61.7% of households with primary-school children consider waiting appropriate. Portugal’s Council of Ministers confirmed an amendment to the Student Statute extending the national ban on smartphones and internet-connected mobile devices to pupils in the 3rd cycle (7th-to-9th grades) effective 1 January 2027. This expansion follows a restriction for 1st- to 6th-grade students and applies to public, private, and cooperative institutions during school hours. Exceptions are permitted for authorized pedagogical use, language translation, or documented health needs. In the Azores, regional authorities confirmed that secondary and 3rd cycle classes will begin between September 17 and 22, a five-day delay caused by national exam calendar changes. The region also noted that the upcoming 2027 mobile phone ban aligns with policies in France, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Minister of Education Fernando Alexandre cited an international trend and a survey showing a 36% rise in socialisation and a 13% drop in indiscipline where phones are prohibited. While the parents’ federation CONFAP criticised the total ban, experts have raised concerns regarding excessive digital stimulation, noting that the loss of unstructured time may hinder the development of creativity, observation, and frustration management. In late August 2026, Portuguese President António José Seguro promulgated a decree to formalize the extension of the smartphone ban to students up to the 9th grade.

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