Poland plans to ban mobile phone use by under-16s in schools

Poland plans ​to ban the ​use of mobile phones ‌by under-16s ​in schools from September 1, the education minister said on Wednesday, ‌joining a growing list of countries moving to limit children's screen time and social media use. Countries including the Netherlands, ‌South Korea and Italy have banned smartphones in schools ‌due to concerns over their impact on concentration and behaviour. Others have banned - or are considering banning - children's access to ⁠social ​media.

"We are ⁠currently finalising work on a major legislative change, crucial for schools, ⁠which will result in a ban on mobile phone use ​in primary schools from September 1, 2026," Barbara ⁠Nowacka told reporters. In Poland children aged 7-15 attend primary school.

Nowacka ⁠said ​using phones in school "cannot be the norm because we see how dependent children are on ⁠the internet". In February, Nowacka outlined plans to ban children ⁠under 15 from ⁠using social media, opening the door to a potential clash with major U.S. ‌tech ‌firms.