Mobile phones will be banned in NSW primary schools from next year
Public primary schools will enforce a mobile phone ban from next year as part of the New South Wales Government's plan to reduce online bullying and unnecessary distraction.
Key points:
- High schools can opt in to the ban
- The Government and Opposition support phone use in specific classroom programs
- Submissions highlighted risks of sexting and predatory behaviour from strangers
The change follows an expert review led by child psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg and commissioned in June.
The review, which considered about 14,000 survey responses and 80 written submissions, also highlighted cases of students sharing explicit images and predatory behaviour from strangers.
Public high schools will have the choice to opt in when the ban is introduced, or decide to what extent they will allow phones to be used.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said phones presented a new challenge for school communities, which had always contended with distraction and bullying.
"We want to ensure mobile phones and other smart devices complement students' learning, and are handled at school in an age-appropriate way," she said.
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