The Ministry of Education said Wednesday that a ban on mobile phones during school hours from high school and below will go into effect in September.
Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) said a detailed plan would be announced in the coming days and take effect when the new school year begins, per ETtoday. In principle, Cheng said cell phones will be kept in a centralized location once students enter the campus, though the MOE will respect regulations set by individual schools.
Cheng unveiled four major initiatives to address digital risks faced by children and adolescents. These include providing free digital toolkits, improving parents’ digital literacy and parenting education, strengthening on-campus awareness campaigns, and partnering with community organizations.
With nearly every teenager bringing a smartphone to school, concerns have grown over their impact on learning. To respond, the MOE held a consultation meeting in March with local governments and education groups to revise usage guidelines.
A key proposal would require mobile devices to be collected and stored during class hours. However, the detailed draft has not yet been released.
Cheng said that because compulsory education is under the jurisdiction of local governments, reaching consensus took time. However, he noted that scientific research supports the idea of limiting phone use in schools to create a better environment for learning and development.
He said the ministry will set general guidelines but will respect the rules established by individual schools. A standardized approach, such as setting up designated storage, is recommended for managing devices during school hours.
