The Ministry will launch a new survey this week with principals to understand the effects of the ban on cell phone use in the 1st and 2nd cycles, revealed the Deputy Secretary of State for Education, Alexandre Homem Cristo, in statements to journalists.

Ban for older students

The idea is to understand if this ban should be extended to older students, but, according to the Ministry’s schedule, only "after classes end" will there be news about what the next school year will be like, added Alexandre Homem Cristo at the end of another round of negotiations to revise the Statute of the Teaching Career (ECD).

The Secretary of State recalled that this change began about two years ago with a recommendation to schools to prevent younger students from using smartphones on school premises.

The measure brought improvements

Some educational establishments complied with the decision, and the ministry wanted to know if the measure had brought about any changes. The results of the survey among teachers and school staff were clear: improvements in student behaviour, greater socialisation, more physical activity, greater use of libraries, reduced indiscipline, and even less bullying.

The ministry concluded that "there were advantages in turning this recommendation into a prohibition," the state secretary recalled, adding that the process will now be repeated to understand if it should be extended to older students.