The Italian government has banned the use of mobile phones in schools during school hours, starting from the beginning of the next academic year. The directive was signed by Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara on Tuesday.
The decision applies to all types of secondary schools and includes a ban on the use of smartphones both during lessons and throughout the school day. Exceptions are only allowed in cases where the use of a phone is necessary for educational or medical reasons, such as for students with disabilities, special educational needs, or in emergency situations.
The ministry cites data from the OECD and the World Health Organisation, according to which excessive use of mobile devices negatively affects concentration, academic performance and sleep, and reduces the level of socialisation among teenagers. In addition, there is a growing dependence on smartphones among schoolchildren.
Compliance with the new rules will be monitored by school administrators. Each school will be able to determine its own disciplinary measures for violating the ban, ranging from verbal warnings to temporary confiscation of phones or other sanctions.
Italy has already taken similar steps: in 2007, the first restriction on the use of phones in schools was introduced, and in 2024, the ban was extended to younger schoolchildren. The new directive finally covers all students, including high school students, and makes the ban mandatory at the national level.
This measure is also in line with a trend observed in other European countries. In France, Greece and the Netherlands, the use of mobile phones in schools is already restricted or completely banned.
