Poland plans to ban mobile phone use by under-16s in schools

Poland plans to ban the use of mobile phones by under-16s in schools from September 1, the education minister said on Wednesday, joining a growing list ‌of ⁠countries moving ⁠to limit children's screen time and social media use.

Countries including the Netherlands, South Korea ​and Italy have banned smartphones in schools due to concerns over their impact ​on concentration and ⁠behaviour. Others ‌have banned - or are ​considering banning - ​children's access to social ⁠media.

"We are currently finalising work on a ​major legislative change, crucial for ​schools, which will result in a ban on mobile phone use in primary schools from September 1, 2026," Barbara Nowacka told reporters.


In Poland ‌children aged 7-15 attend primary school.

Nowacka said using phones in ​school "cannot ​be the ⁠norm because we see how dependent children are on the internet".

In February, Nowacka outlined ​plans to ban children under 15 from using social media, opening the door to a potential clash with major U.S. tech firms.