Finland is Preparing a Law Limiting the Use of Mobile Phones in Schools
The Finnish government is working on a new bill that would restrict students’ use of mobile phones during lessons. Education Minister Anna-Maja Henriksson told state broadcaster Yle that they hope the bill will be discussed and voted on in parliament this autumn. “Our aim is to strengthen the powers of teachers and principals while ensuring a calmer environment in schools,” Henriksson said.
Henriksson stated that the use of mobile phones, especially at the secondary school level, is a serious distraction for both students and teachers. Similar bans are becoming increasingly common in the European Union; in Spain, for example, smartphone use is banned in primary schools and severely restricted in secondary schools.
The government, which took office in June, had included in its education program the aim to give teachers and principals more authority to enforce discipline in schools. Henriksson said: “The government will strengthen the powers of teachers and principals to intervene in activities that are detrimental to teaching. This means we will introduce effective restrictions on the use of mobile devices to help students focus better in lessons.”
Under current law, Finnish schools can already ban the use of mobile phones during lessons, but Henriksson noted that this is underutilized across the country. “It seems that this has not been done everywhere in Finland. This possibility may not have been fully realized,” she said. She added that the current law does not allow banning the use of mobile phones during the entire school day and that students should only put their phones down voluntarily.
In drafting the new law, Henriksson emphasized that students' fundamental rights must be protected, citing children's rights to own property and freedom of expression. She also mentioned that a law completely banning the use of mobile phones in schools is unlikely, as students may have legitimate reasons for carrying their phones. Henriksson also noted that this issue was discussed at a recent meeting of Nordic education ministers and that similar challenges are being experienced in other countries.