France to Enforce Nationwide Ban on Mobile Phones in Schools for Children Under 15

France to Rollout Nationwide Ban in January if Trial Succeeds in Curbing Screen Overexposure Among Students

In a bold move to address concerns over the impact of digital devices on young people’s health, France is set to trial a nationwide ban on mobile phones for schoolchildren up to the age of 15. If successful, the ban could be implemented across all schools starting January.

The experiment, which will involve just under 200 secondary schools, requires students to hand over their phones upon arrival. This initiative goes beyond the existing 2018 law that prohibited phone use on school premises but allowed students to keep their devices.

Acting Education Minister Nicole Belloubet announced the trial on Tuesday, highlighting the need for a “digital pause” for young people. She emphasized that if the trial is deemed effective, the ban would be extended to all schools in France starting in January.

The decision follows a 140-page report published in March by a commission established by President Emmanuel Macron. The report raised alarms about the overexposure of children to screens, citing negative effects on sleep, physical activity, and overall health, including risks of obesity and poor eyesight.

The report recommended a staged approach to mobile phone use: no phones before age 11, phones without internet access between 11 and 13, and internet-enabled phones but no social media before 15. It also advised against exposing children under three years old to digital devices entirely.

“We must put the digital tool in its place,” said Servane Mouton, a neurologist and neurophysiologist on the commission. “Up to at least six years old, a child has no need for a digital device to develop.”

This move in France is part of a broader European debate on phone bans in schools. While some countries, like Germany and the Netherlands, have implemented partial bans or recommendations, others, such as Italy, have enforced stricter regulations. In England, non-statutory guidance encourages schools to ban phone use throughout the day, leaving the final decision to individual headteachers.

As France embarks on this ambitious trial, other European nations will be watching closely to see if the “digital pause” becomes a model for broader implementation across the continent.