Some European countries have banned it mobile phones in schools, while in Germany there is still resistance. That is why some schools are testing the ban themselves, and here are the reactions of students and teachers.
In France and Italy, mobile phones have been banned in schools for a long time, and since last year also in Great Britain and the Netherlands, reports Deutsche says.
In Germany, however, there is still resistance. The federal provinces, 16 of them, which are responsible for education policy, are still hesitant to introduce uniform standards.
In particular, student representatives and trade unions are skeptical: they believe that a ban would only shift the problem to free time and that such a measure is unrealistic - instead, children and young people should be taught in schools how to use their phones responsibly.
Klaus Zierer is a university professor in Augsburg and an expert in education and has researched the effects of banning mobile phones in schools. His position is unequivocal: mobile phones must be kept out of schools, with a total ban in primary schools and a few exceptions for older children. In Germany, primary school lasts 4 years, and secondary schools, including high school, start from the 5th grade.
"A 10-year-old, 11-year-old or 12-year-old cannot responsibly use a smartphone. It's too much for them," says this educator and reminds that prohibitions also exist when it comes to alcohol, drugs or traffic.
"A ban for children of a certain age is not bad in itself, but an expression of the responsibility of the elders towards the younger ones: we know the risks and that is why we have an obligation to protect children - to introduce them to responsible behavior step by step."
"We found that in schools where smartphone bans have been introduced, with pedagogical support, there is an improvement, a reduction in cyberbullying, because the school is often the place where it takes place - for example, by taking photos in school toilets," Cirer told DW.
The first days without mobile phones in high school
Many schools in Germany are moving independently with the ban, such as Dalton Gymnasium in Alsdorf near Aachen. There, a ban on cell phones throughout the school day is being tested - including recess in a pilot phase that runs until the summer holidays. The initiative is called "Smart without a phone".
About a hundred meters from the front door of the Dalton gymnasium, where the school grounds begin, an unusual ritual still takes place every morning for about 700 students: phones in backpacks, devices turned off until they go home.
Balance of the first day: two fouls. Among them is a student (16) who turned on his phone during class. As a punishment, his cell phone was locked in the safe in the secretariat. Parents can only collect it the next day. That sanction caused a lot of discussion in the school.
Klara Ptak (17) supports the strict approach and tells DW: "It's like crossing the street at a red light. The consequences have to be strict, otherwise people won't follow the rules. If I know I'm going to be without my phone for the whole afternoon and evening, I'm probably more likely to follow the rules."
Lena Špek (16) tells DW: "For now, everything is working more or less smoothly. This morning, I didn't notice that anyone's phone was taken away. It is also noticed that the students are talking to each other more. Many of us don't think the phone ban is so bad."
Andrea Vondenhoff, who teaches Spanish and English there, already has experience with phone bans from her previous school in another federal state. He believes that in Alsdorf this ban will quickly become established and become a normal thing.
"You notice in class that the children are more relaxed and attentive. In my old school, most of the offenses happened among the older students. It makes the work of the teachers easier - we don't have to constantly watch what the students are doing under the desk with their phones."
Prepare students for the digital age - without private phones
Dalton Gymnasium is otherwise a superlative school: in 2013, it received the German School Award for its concept that relies on student responsibility and independence.
Three years later, as the first school in Germany, it successfully introduced a model of flexible start of classes, in order to better respect the internal clock and biological rhythm of adolescents. Last year, the school received recognition for its media concept.
The gymnasium uses school tablets for all students, has rooms with a "green screen" and its own podcast studio.
School director Martin Wheeler Kate: "It's not about demonizing or banning digitization, it's about eliminating the distraction that comes from private phones," he emphasizes in an interview with DW.
"We saw fifth- and sixth-grade students just staring at their phones and playing games during recess. As a school community, we decided that school must be a space for mutual communication, for talking, laughing and socializing."
60 messages during the school day
A study from England shows that weaker students in particular have benefited from banning mobile phones in schools. It's no wonder, if you look at the results of the Common Sense Media survey in the US among students aged 11 to 17 (2024): half of them receive about 60 messages just during their time at school.
And in Germany, studies show that 16-year-old children spend up to 70 hours a week online, according to Klaus Zirer. His appeal:
"We need to offer students something that they don't have in their daily lives. They have enough in front of a screen at home. Instead, they need more movement, more interaction and more social experiences - to develop empathy and social skills."
