Israel will introduce a nationwide ban on mobile phone use in primary schools starting February 2nd, the education ministry announced on Friday.
“From February 2nd, a new policy will be implemented in primary schools: children will be prohibited from using mobile phones on school premises,” the ministry said in a statement. Officials stressed that the change reflects mounting concerns over the “negative effects” of smartphones.
Education Minister Yoav Kisch said the decision was “based on studies in Israel and around the world, as well as on the (ministry’s) commitment to a healthy and safe educational environment.” According to him, the reform is designed to reduce “the negative effects of students’ use of phones”.
The ministry added that the rollout will involve “educational programmes in the classroom and dialogue with parents in order to instill balanced phone use, prevent excessive use of social media (by children) and reduce exposure to age-inappropriate content”.
Since the start of the school year in September, smartphones have been banned from all schools in the coastal hub of Tel Aviv, through a decision from the municipality.
Israel’s move reflects a wider global trend. Countries such as Australia and France already restrict phone use in schools, and UNESCO reported that by the end of 2024, around 40% of the world’s education systems had introduced some form of smartphone limitation—up from 30% just a year earlier.
