Mobile phones will be completely banned from playgrounds in all schools in French-speaking Belgian schools from next academic year, following the definitive approval of a decree by French Community Parliament (FWB) on Wednesday.
The ban was approved by the education committee of the FWB on Monday 17 February, but was confirmed in a plenary session on Wednesday 12 March. It will apply from nursery school to the end of secondary education across all educational networks.
Already in place in many other countries, this ban aims to improve learning quality, student concentration, and overall school atmosphere.
School administrations will determine the specific application of the ban, including penalties, and include them in their internal regulations. Pedagogical use of smartphones in class will still be permitted.
Exemptions are provided for students with disabilities or medical conditions requiring communication devices.
The decree was approved on Wednesday afternoon by members of the majority MR-Engagés, supported by opposition parties PS and Ecolo. However, Ecolo's group leader, Bénédicte Linard, abstained, as did all PTB Members of Parliament.
The opposition proposed amendments to delay the ban for one year to allow schools more time to adapt their regulations and consult with students, which the majority rejected.
Many European countries already prohibit mobile phones in schools, including France, Finland, Italy, and more recently, the Netherlands.
A student receiving a simple notification on their phone during class loses track of the lesson for nearly 20 minutes, according to a UNESCO study.
