The new rules will come into force in the 2024-25 school year. From September, pupils in kindergarten through grade 6 will be asked to keep their phones on silent and out of sight for the entire day unless a teacher says so.

If a pupil breaks the rules, their mobile phone will be handed in to a member of staff immediately and parents will be notified. As part of the new policy, social media sites will be banned from all school networks and devices. The government will also ban the sharing and recording of videos or photos of individuals without explicit consent, although it is unclear how this will be monitored and enforced.

Teachers will also be asked to include feedback on pupils’ distraction levels in their report cards.

The government has already announced in its 2024 budget that it will spend $30 million installing vape detectors and other safety measures in schools.

Pupils caught with vapes or e-cigarettes will be required to hand them over and parents will be notified immediately. The government will require schools to display signs in public areas outlining “behavioural expectations” and will launch a marketing campaign aimed at pupils and parents to raise awareness of the new policy.

Anastasia Chupina