The parliamentary committee on Education and Culture on Tuesday supported the government proposal to restrict the use of mobile phone by students in schools, said the parliament in a press release.
The government proposed to enact a law with the provision for prohibiting mobile phone use in school, excepting under certain circumstances.
If the bill is passed, the use of phones during lessons in primary and secondary schools will be banned.
The proposal to bring amendments to the Basic Education Act focused on restricting use of phones and other mobile devices during the school hours, promoting a physically active lifestyle in pre-school and basic education and increasing the supervisory authority of schools to decide about using mobile phone in other times such as breaks and lunch during the school hours.
Based on the expert opinions, the committee considered that it is necessary to restrict the use of mobile devices during lessons by law.
The committee, however, recommended that the use of mobile devices could be allowed with permission from the teacher under special circumstances such as for study and health-related purposes.
Earlier in August, 2024, the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) recommended that schools should prohibit disruptive use of mobile phones during classes and also restrict their use during breaks.
The agency advised that places of learning should, in line with current regulations, prohibit disruptive phone use during lessons and limit its use during breaks while awaiting the new legislation.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
