TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Governor of West Java in Indonesia, Dedi Mulyadi, has banned elementary school (SD) and junior high school (SMP) students from bringing mobile phones, or cell phones, to schools. This prohibition is already in effect in other countries.
According to Antara, several European countries have banned the use of cellphones (phones) in schools to reduce bullying cases and increase the effectiveness of learning. Here are several countries that prohibit the use of mobile phones in schools.
- The Netherlands
The Dutch government has expanded the ban on the use of smartphones from elementary to secondary schools. The Dutch government is concerned that smartphones could disturb students and have a negative impact on exam results, but exceptions are made for educational purposes, health reasons, or physical disabilities.
- Belgium
Schools in Belgium that use the French language have also banned the use of mobile phones at the beginning of the 2024-2025 academic year. This policy was taken in response to cases of students using smartphones to take and share photos of their friends on social media, which has led to an increase in harassment cases.
- France
The French government has implemented a pause in the use of gadgets for students under 15 years of age. The "Pause numerique" policy has been in place since 2018, which requires students to surrender their phones upon arriving at school. The Ministry of Education in France plans to expand this ban nationally in 2025 when the experiment's goal has been achieved. The expected results include improving the school climate, reducing online violence and harassment, enhancing student concentration and performance, and increasing awareness of rational use of digital devices.
- Finland
As a country long known for its exceptional academic standards, some schools in Finland have begun to reintroduce books, pencils, and paper, replacing digital devices that are considered disruptive. Teachers and students in Finland have reported increased focus and ease of learning without digital devices, including benefits such as reading faster and sleeping better.
- United Kingdom
The Ormiston Academies in the UK have banned the use of mobile phones for 35,000 students in 42 schools to address the negative impacts of screen time on mental health, and it has been proven to be successful and supported by students and parents. Ormiston CEO Tom Rees emphasizes the importance of attention in learning and refers to phones as a major disturbance.
In addition to these five countries, in other European countries such as Germany, Poland, Denmark, Portugal, and Croatia, schools have the autonomy to set their own policies regarding phones. With the autonomy to determine their own policies, many schools in these countries choose to restrict the use of phones so that their educational institutions remain focused on their duties.
In Indonesia, the prohibition of bringing mobile phones to school adds to a series of prohibitions announced by West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi for schools and students. Previously, he banned graduation ceremonies and school trips outside of the Padjadjaran Land.
Ahmad Fikri and Sukma Kanthi Nurani contributed to this article.
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