The NSW Department of Education’s Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation survey further found:
• 81 per cent say students’ learning has improved since mobile phones were banned.
• 87 per cent of principals say students are less distracted in the classroom since mobile phones were banned.
• 86 per cent of principals say socialising has improved since the mobile phone ban.
Since this election commitment was delivered at the beginning of Term 4, 2023, public schools across NSW are continuing to report widespread benefits.
At Riverstone High School, Principal Rosemary Daubney said students are more focused during class time, and at recess and lunch are now socialising with one another. Sport is now popular, with students taking up touch football and basketball.
Banning mobile phones in schools is part of the NSW Government’s ongoing work to address the harms posed to young people by social media. Initiatives in this space include:
• Partnering with the South Australian Government to host a Social Media Summit, exploring new public health responses to minimise the harms caused by social media.
• Launching the Spotlight on Cyberbullying website in collaboration with the ESafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant to support parents, carers, teachers and schools with evidence-based resources to address cyberbullying.
• Launching a $2.5M research fund to investigate the impacts of excessive screen time, video games and mobile phone use on young people and their learning.
• Delivering new syllabuses for teachers explicitly addressing respectful relationships, online safety, cyberbullying, consent education and online harassment and abuse.
Member for Riverstone Warren Kirby said: “Removing the unnecessary distraction of mobile phones at public schools was a commonsense decision, and it took the Minns Labor Government to get it done. I am pleased to see students and families at Riverstone High School reaping the benefits.”
Principal of Riverstone High School Rosemary Daubney said: We see greater engagement in the classrooms and more positive social interactions. Students can concentrate and focus.
“In breaks, I used to see students sitting alone, looking at their screens. Now, they are playing games, touch football and basketball. They are laughing and running around, having a good time and talking to each other. The statewide policy helped us win backing from parents.”