The use of mobile phones in Spanish classrooms has been the subject of much debate for years. And it really is worldwide. In fact, more and more states in the US are promoting laws to ban the use of mobile phones in schools. And what is happening in our country?
Well, there are new measures that prohibit the use of these devices in classrooms in some autonomous communities. So let's review the current situation.
Regulation reaches classrooms to ban the use of mobile phones
The State School Board has given the green light in January 2024, unanimously, to a proposal that advocates banning the use of mobile phones in primary education and restricting their use in secondary education exclusively to educational or medical purposes. In this last stage, it is recommended that the devices remain switched off from the entrance to the center until the exit.
The Minister of Education, Pilar Alegría expressed her support for this document of recommendations on the use of electronic devices in classrooms and forwarded the proposal to the autonomous communities in a meeting scheduled for January 31.
The report prepared by the State School Council, the main advisory body on education matters to the Government, highlights the problems arising from inappropriate use of mobile phones, tablets or smart watches in schools, emphasizing the distractions they generate and the behaviors that are harmful to coexistence that they can cause.
It stresses that moving towards responsible digital education requires establishing “certain time and space limits inside and outside schools”. In addition, it maintains that in early childhood and primary education students do not need to bring mobile phones to class, except in exceptional cases duly justified for health reasons or other personal or family circumstances. According to the UNESCO GEM 2023 report, available at this link, It takes an average of 20 minutes for a student to regain focus after receiving a notification on their device.
In secondary education, the restriction establishes that phones must remain switched off during classes, breaks and other breaks, as well as during complementary and extracurricular activities. However, the use of these devices will be permitted in educational contexts under teacher supervision or when essential for justified medical reasons. For post-compulsory education, regulation is delegated to the management of each centre.
Furthermore, On December 13, the Ministry of Education proposed to the autonomous communities to limit the use of mobile phones in schools and institutes, although with different levels of restriction. In primary school, where mobile phones are not yet a widespread problem since most families buy them for their children when they start secondary school (at 11 or 12 years old), the ban would be total. In secondary school, however, it would be up to each school to decide whether to integrate them for educational purposes within its educational project.
Pilar Alegría highlighted at the time that personal use of mobile phones affects academic performance and that their use to record videos or send messages on social networks for bullying purposes has led one in four countries to approve regulations that limit their use in the classroom, according to the latest GEM 2023 report from UNESCO.
The School Board believes that the regulation of mobile phone use in educational centres should be established under “common basic criteria” and, as occurs in other European countries, should be integrated into the internal regulations of each school or institute.
Furthermore, recommends complementing this measure with other initiatives, such as strengthening the guidance and tutoring departments, reviewing schedules and rest times, creating alternative leisure activities during breaks and implementing training programs to promote responsible digital education.. It also advocates the need for teachers to exercise digital leadership and for families to actively participate in the appropriate use of these devices inside and outside the school environment. So what does the regulation look like?
This is how mobile phone bans are regulated in each community
As you can see, each autonomous community applies its own regulations, but in general terms the use of mobile devices such as phones or tablets in classrooms has been prohibited. Let's look at the regulations by Autonomous Community.
Region of Madrid
Since the 2020-2021 academic year, Madrid has banned the use of mobile phones throughout the school day, including recess, complementary and extracurricular activities. However, public and private schools can authorize their use for educational purposes within their educational projects.
Catalonia
In Catalonia, mobile phones are prohibited in primary education. In secondary education, their use is only permitted for educational activities under authorisation. However, the Generalitat is considering the possibility of establishing a total ban.
Estremadura
In February 2024, Extremadura approved a regulation that prohibits mobile phones in educational centers, allowing them only for educational purposes or in exceptional circumstances with written authorization from families.
Andalucía
The Andalusian Government will transform into a law the instruction issued in 2023, which prohibits the use of mobile phones in educational centers except when their use has a pedagogical justification. In addition, The Andalusian School Board has recommended that its educational use only be permitted from the third year of ESO onwards.
Castilla la Mancha
Since 2024, Castilla-La Mancha bans the use of mobile phones in all educational centers, with the sole exception of its use for educational purposes. A recent study indicates that this restriction has reduced the level of stress among students by 35%.
Castilla y Leon
For almost two decades, Castilla y León has been applying the recommendation of the State School Council, establishing the prohibition of mobile phones from the entrance to the exit of the school. However, Each school or institute has the autonomy to regulate its application based on its academic needs.
Asturias
In February 2024, Asturias approved an instruction prohibiting the use of mobile phones in Infant and Primary education. In Secondary, Baccalaureate and Vocational Training, its use is only permitted for justified educational purposes.
Valencian Community
In May 2024, the Valencian Community approved a regulation that restricts the use of mobile phones in educational centers, except in educational activities or for justified health reasons. Sources from the Ministry of Education indicate that they have detected "a decrease in cases of cyberbullying."
Galicia
In 2024, the Xunta de Galicia extended the ban on mobile phones to the entire school day, after having restricted their use during school hours since 2019. According to the Xunta, this measure has helped reduce conflicts and encourage dialogue between students.
Murcia
In January 2024, Murcia implemented a ban on mobile phone use at all educational levels in public and private schools throughout the school day. Its use is only permitted when the teacher authorises it for pedagogical reasons. According to the Ministry, this measure has reduced cases of cyberbullying by 73% and has improved academic performance.
the Basque Country
In the Basque Country, 85% of primary schools apply a total ban on mobile phones, while 15% allow them for educational purposesIn secondary school, half of the centres allow their use for educational purposes. In high school, 25% of public centres completely prohibit mobile phones during school hours. In vocational training, 70% of centres allow their use for educational purposes.
Cantabria
The Government of Cantabria is considering approving an order that would regulate the ban on mobile phones in educational centres starting in the 2025-2026 academic year. However, this year it has already been implemented as a temporary measure through an instruction.
Navarra
In NavarreEach educational center has the autonomy to establish its own regulations on the use of devices such as mobile phones, tablets, smart watches or headphones. These regulations are reviewed annually within the digital plans of each institution and in accordance with their rules of coexistence.
Balearics
The Balearic Education Department has issued guidelines to prohibit the use of mobile phones during the school day in Infant and Primary education. In Secondary and post-compulsory education, their use is subject to what is established in the educational project of the centre.
Canary Islands
Since February 2024, the use of mobile phones during school hours is prohibited in the Canary Islands and during breaks in all educational centres and levels, although subsidised and private centres are free to apply their own regulations. The Department of Education will carry out a survey to assess the impact of this measure.
La Rioja
In La Rioja, Mobile phones are prohibited in primary and secondary schools, except when they are used for educational purposes and are carried out under teacher supervision. Each school regulates in its internal regulations whether students must leave their devices in the lockers upon entering or whether they can take them into hallways and courtyards.
Aragon
In Aragon, mobile phones cannot be used during the entire school day, including breaks and extracurricular activities, except when they have an educational purpose. The Department of Education points out that this restriction "has been very well received and is contributing to improving the learning environment."