Sweden Plans School Mobile Phone Ban
The Swedish government is introducing a nationwide mobile phone ban in all schools to improve student safety and academic performance. Beginning in the autumn of 2026, all students between the ages of 7 and 16 will be required to hand in their phones at the start of the school day, with devices returned at the end of the day.The new regulation is part of a broad education reform package announced by the government. The reform also includes changes to the curriculum, grading system, and teacher training. Minister of Education Simona Mohamsson said, “This is the biggest school reform in over 30 years and a historic budget investment.”
To implement the ban, the government has allocated 95 million kronor in 2026 and 100 million kronor in 2027. Although most schools already collect phones before lessons, reports indicate that some students circumvent the rule by handing in fake devices or claiming their phones are broken. The new regulation aims to close these loopholes.
Sweden’s decision follows similar measures in other European countries. Denmark introduced a ban on mobile phones in schools and after-school clubs earlier this year, while Norway set a minimum age of 15 for social media use. In the Netherlands, research conducted after the 2024 classroom phone ban showed that students found it easier to concentrate and, in some cases, academic performance improved.