European Countries Regulate Children's Smartphone Use at School, Schools in Belgium Ban Them Completely

– Before the lesson starts, you will put your phones in this box. We will put it in the safe. You will pick up the phones after the lesson – this is the instruction given to students by a teacher in one of the Belgian schools.

More than 370 schools in Brussels and the southern Belgian region of Wallonia have said “no” to mobile phones. The ban affects more than 132 thousand students. It is not only about screen addiction and its negative effects, but also about combating cyberbullying committed by children.

– It is important that students interact with each other during breaks. Especially during lunch. By banning the use of phones, we also avoid aggressive behavior, for example by recording videos – comments Berdien van Nieuwenhuyze, a teacher at a Belgian school.

Banning phones in schools has long been a subject of debate across Europe. Portugal has introduced a set number of phone-free days. In Finland, children can only use a smartphone when instructed by a teacher and only when it is needed for school. Ursula von der Leyen mentioned how spending too much time in front of a screen affects children's mental health when presenting her programme for the next term.

– The early and teenage years are crucial for brain and personality development. It is also a period when children are more vulnerable to the harm caused by social media and excessive screen time, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

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France has been battling smartphones in schools for years. Regulations introduced in 2018 banned the use of phones, but children were allowed to have them with them. Now, under a new regulation, students in nearly 200 middle schools must leave their devices in deposit boxes. If the solution works, the regulations will cover schools throughout the country in January.

Since September 2, a total ban on using phones has been in effect in all schools in the Netherlands. Students in Greece will soon find out what life is like without a phone.

– A student can bring a phone to school, but must keep it in a backpack at all times – said Kiriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece. – Scientific data shows that the use of phones in schools affects the learning process. Students do not pay attention to important issues – he added.

Those who do not comply with the rule will be suspended for one day. In the event of a repeat violation, the school may suspend the student for longer. Anyone who records peers or teachers without their consent may be expelled from school.

Mobile phone addiction has reached alarming levels in Hungary, where most students use social media. The average Hungarian child has more than 70 apps on their phone. The Hungarian government has introduced regulations restricting smartphone use in schools. A principal in one Budapest school who ignored the regulation was fired, sparking outrage among some citizens.

– We live in the 21st century, almost everything is on digital devices and we use them more and more often. It is important that we learn how to use them well. We should not tell students that it is a tool of the devil – comments Lenard Felhofi-Kiss, a resident of Budapest.

Social media and games distract children from their studies. According to UNESCO, it takes a student about 20 minutes to focus after receiving a notification. The average teenager receives up to 250 notifications a day. The Swedish Public Health Agency has issued recommendations on the use of devices with screens by minors. Screen use for children aged 6 to 12 should be limited to two hours a day. For older children, the limit is three hours a day.