The move to ban on mobile phones in schools in South Australia has been a “resounding success”, with significant reductions in reports of behavioural issues and violence, leaders say.
The ban kicked in at public schools from term three last year, with students made to put their phones in lockers until the end of the day.
In the first half of this school year, there were 54 per cent less behavioural problems across SA’s public schools, compared to the same period last year.
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There’s also been a 10 per cent decline in violent incidents, including fights, filmed on mobiles.
“Students were uneasy about it to say the least, yet now we know 12 months later it has been a resounding success,” Premier Peter Malinauskas said .
“When the phone is not there and there’s not the ability to capture it, in many cases it’s a disincentive for kids to hurt each other in the first place,” Education Minister Blair Boyer said.
Some schools, like Underdale High, only began the ban in term one, and have already seen results.
“When I used to come in the library I used to see lots of people on their phones, now when I come in the library I see people playing chess, I see people playing Uno, all of those games,” Year 9 student Dhruva Nagaraj, said.
Off the back of this success, the Premier now has a more controversial plan in the works – to ban children younger than 14 from having social media accounts.
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“This is going to take a bit of an attitudinal change, it’s going to take effort from parents, it’s going to take an effort from society as a whole,” Malinauskas said.
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