Swedish schools set to ban cellphones from schools

A Swedish government inquiry has recommended that Sweden bring in a national ban on mobile phones in schools, with schools required to collect pupils’ phones at the start of the school day at all primary and lower secondary schools in the country. Inquiry chair Björn Hansson noted that around 80% of primary and lower secondary schools in Sweden have already brought in mobile phone bans voluntarily, while six out of 10 head teachers supported a national ban. “The crucial thing is to have clear and effective routines for collecting and returning [the phones],” he said, adding that the inquiry had decided that the ban should also be extended to after-school activities or fritids, operated within the school building. He also noted that if Sweden pushes ahead with the ban, it would be ahead of the other Nordic countries but following in the footsteps of France, Spain, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Hungary.