Majority in survey for this: mobile phone bans in schools – yes or no?

Cell phones have been part of everyday life for a long time, hardly anyone spends a day without looking at their smartphone. It becomes correspondingly difficult when it comes to school lessons: Banning cell phones completely – or using targeted use for learning?

According to a current survey, more than 90 percent of people in Germany would like restrictions on private cell phone use in schools. This emerges from a representative survey of the opinion research institute YouGov on behalf of the German Press Agency. According to this, 50 percent of the respondents are in favor of a general ban on private cell phone use in schools, 41 percent support a partial ban at certain times. Nine percent find that private cell phone use in schools should generally not be prohibited.

People took part in the representative online survey between June 13 and 16, 2018. The majority of them (915) was 55 years old or older.

Older supports banned or partial ban with a large majority

There were also clear differences between the generations: the greatest consent for restrictions on private cell phone use in schools had 97 percent among those surveyed aged 55 and over. 60 percent of them support a general ban, 37 percent spoke out for a ban at certain times.

Among the 18- to 24-year-olds, approval for a general ban at 26 percent is lowest. After all, almost half of the young people in this age group stated that it was advocated at certain times. A quarter of the respondents in this age group spoke out against a ban or other restrictions.

Several federal states are planning new rules

In Germany, the ban on private cell phone use in schools is discussed – not only in politics, but also among parents and teachers. The background is above all the distraction potential that cell phones in schools. Some federal states have already decided or announced bans to make restrictions. For example, a mobile phone ban for students applies to all Bavarian primary schools. From the next school year 2025/2026, the state of Hesse plans to prohibit private cell phone use in schools.

Saarland is also planning to ban private cell phone use at least at primary schools. A step that also enjoys the support of the new Federal Minister of Education Karin Prien (CDU) who advertises a nationwide ban on private cell phone use at primary schools – but cannot enforce this at the federal level.

Majority of respondents for freedom of choice in schools

Because education is a matter of the country – whether there are bans or not, the individual federal states decide. In Hamburg, regulatory sovereignty is even directly with the schools. There should be no uniform mobile phone ban for all state schools there.

A real approach is found, a large majority of YouGov-Skunked (72 percent), who pronounced that schools should basically have freedom to set up their own rules for private cell phone use on their school premises. 28 percent, on the other hand, took the view that the schools themselves should not have the decision -making power.

There are also bans in other countries

In several European countries such as France or the Netherlands, cell phone bans have been using for a long time. From the new school year 2025/2026, Italy also prohibits smartphone use in the higher classes. Pupils under the age of 15 have not been allowed to use cell phones in class there for a long time.

OECD confirms distraction potential, but also emphasizes use

But does a strict ban on cell phone really benefit more than disadvantages? It depends on the type of restriction, says the OECD, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In a study published last year, the organization advises a responsible use of mobile phones in class.

However, it also warns of large learning residues among schoolchildren who can be distracted by handling. According to the study, students who learned one to five hours with mobile devices every day achieved better results than those that did not use cell phones or used them in class for private purposes.

Teacher Association against absolute mobile phone ban

The German Teachers’ Association rejects an absolute ban on cell phones at schools for several reasons. Rather, the association advocates “critical-reflected mobile phone use in order to introduce adolescents to the emancipated person to a considerable use,” writes association president Stefan Düll in a current statement. The smartphone can be used specifically for learning purposes, Düll continues. “An absolute ban makes secret use attractive for many, which is difficult to control.” Clear and age -appropriate usage rules are more sensible.

The discussion about the correct way of dealing with cell phones in class should not be ended so quickly. There are also federal states such as Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia who have so far decided against cell phone bans. It remains to be seen whether this stays that way. In Thuringia, a smartphone ban could soon come to primary schools – at least the coalitioner of the CDU, BSW and SPD had agreed on this in their coalition agreement.