South Australian public high schools ban students from using mobile phones

Mobile phones will be banned in South Australian schools, and students will be required to lock their devices or leave them at home.

Public high school principals have written to parents about the ban, which will take effect at the beginning of the 2023 school year.

South Australia will become the fourth state and territory in Australia to implement the ban – promised by Labor in the last state election – after Northern Territory, Victoria and Western Australia.

The mobile phone ban will be extended to NSW if the Labor Party wins the state election next year.

Devices should either be left at home or locked during school hours, while sealable, lead-lined pouches will be provided for students who need access to their cell phones during class.

Schools will issue eligible students with a card that exempts them from the ban if they need their phone for translation, medical reasons or to contact their parents or guardians.

The ban also applies to school activities, including camps and field trips.

South Australia has banned mobile phones from state secondary schools and students are required to leave their devices at home or turned off in school storage. Students who need access to their device in class are provided with a sealable, lead-lined pouch (pictured)

Marryatville High School principal John Tiver asked parents for feedback on the cell phone ban in a letter dated Nov. 25.

“Inbound policy requires all students to keep their cell phones and other personal devices out and in school unless their school has granted an exemption under department policy,” Mr. Tiver said.

Mr Tiver explained that the mobile phone ban would reduce the impact of bullying and provide students with a learning environment free from distractions.

‘[phone policy will] help promote environments with reduced negative consequences of inappropriate device use in school, such as cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content and critical mobile phone incidents,” said Mr Tiver.

‘[It will also create] classroom environments where teachers can teach and students can learn without the distraction of personal device use.

“Breaks can be used as quality time away from screens, encouraging physical activity and play, and meaningful face-to-face contact with peers.”

South Australian Education Minister Blair Boyer said schools would be given a transitional period to apply the nationwide restrictions, which require turning off their phones all year round.

Mr Boyer said schools need to determine the ‘correct method of storage’ for their students, while access to phones should be ‘controlled’.

“Individual schools will continue to locally determine the most appropriate method of storage for their location,” Mr Boyer said.

“Access to personal devices during school hours should be controlled so that students can be fully present in their learning and in their interactions with their teachers and peers.”

Pressure to implement the ban – which was promised by Labor in the last state election – increased after students used their phones to film violent fights (pictured)

Efforts to introduce the ban – promised by Labor ahead of the latest state election – intensified in the wake of widespread incidents of students using phones to video fight,