Queensland school students are set to be banned from using mobile phones and smart watches at schools across the state.
The new rules will be enforced from term one of 2024 and will also apply over break times.
The changes are expected to bring Queensland in line with other states across the country with Education Minister Grace Grace revealing that 95 percent of schools have banned the use of mobile phones in class, while only 15 percent have banned the use of devices during break times.
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The changes across the country have been introduced in a bid to curb cyber bullying and harassment and decrease disruptions to education.
As the government awaits the results of a report into phone policies across the state, MP Grace Grace said the ban on device usage “during school hours” will still go ahead.
“From term one, 2024, mobile phones will need to be ‘away for the day’ in all Queensland state schools, building on the excellent work of our principals and school leaders to date,” she said.
“Under our existing policy, almost all our state schools have implemented some kind of ban on the use of mobile phones, and they have been fully supported to do so.
“This statewide ban will provide uniformity, extend bans to break times, and include certain wearable devices like smartwatches.”
Despite the changes, The Queensland Teachers’ Union have expressed concerns over a lack of education on how to use devices for educational purposes.
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