The ban on mobile phone use in public high schools has had a positive impact and has recently showed it has helped reduce violent incidents in schools.
In South Australia, the ban requires students to switch any personal devices with the capability to connect to the internet off or onto flight mode and put them away for the duration of the school day, including break times in pouches or lockers.
The policy does not apply to school-owned technologies or learning devices brought under Bring Your Own Device programs.
The latest data showed there has been an average of a 29 per cent decrease in Terms 3 and 4 of 2023 compared to a similar period in 2022.
In terms 3 and 4 of the 2022 school year before the ban came into effect, data showed there were 319 incidents, compared to 228 for the same timeframe in 2023, after the ban.
The data was based on 131 schools and included onsite violence involving punching and kicking between secondary students.
The ban was implemented to improve learning environments for children and to reduce distraction in the classroom and the bullying that occurs through social media.
It has since made a positive impact, with anecdotal evidence that has shown students are more active and involved in physical activity and extracurricular clubs.
A shift in the schoolyard culture has occurred, and students are now seen playing together and chatting, rather than with their heads down looking at their phones.
Minister for education, training and skills Blair Boyer said this was the right policy to implement to tackle distraction and cyber bullying in schools.
“Bullying can be 24/7 for young people today, and there is no doubt in my mind that it plays an enormous part in the deteriorating mental health of students,” he said.
He felt positive the government is on the right track following their ban, due to the recent data available.
“Incidents of violence and students using mobile phones to engage in bullying behaviour have significantly reduced, which is incredibly heartening because I want students to feel engaged and connected at school,” he said.
“It’s so important to their future success.
“This ban is about better academic outcomes for students free from distraction, improved social skills development, and reduced cyber bullying.”
