DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

23 May 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Ban on phones in the classroom welcomed by teachers and parents

July 5, 2023
Choking challenges are popular on TikTok. Photo: Depositphotos

Mobile phones should be banned from the classroom because they are detrimental to school results, the education ministry has said.

“Scatterbrained” children, unable to withstand the lure of their phones, score an average of 1 to 1.5 points lower in tests, research has found.

The new rule, which will become effective from January 1 next year, will apply to secondary schools but not MBO trade schools and HBO colleges. A decision about primary schools is expected on Wednesday.

Exceptions will be made for pupils who need a phone, tablet or smartphone for medical reasons or if the devices are used for educational purposes.

School and parents’ organisations and teachers and pupils unions have all signed up to what is currently a guideline. If unsuccessful, it may become law, minister Robbert Dijkgraaf said.

Schools said they welcome the measure which is putting an end to what has been a long political wrangle about the desirability of government intervention in school matters. Schools will still be free to shape their own general policies around mobile phone use, Dijkgraaf said.

A third of schools have already adapted their policies to conform with the new guideline, Henk Hagoort of secondary schools council VO-raad said. “No one wants unnecessary distractions in class and that is why they should only be used if relevant to the teaching process,” he told broadcaster NOS.

Parents’ organisation Ouders & Onderwijs said the collective agreement is a great help for parents who forbid their children to use their phones in class. “It’s difficult to be the lone voice of disapproval and say ‘you can’t have your phone even if your friends can’,”  director Lobke Vlaming told the broadcaster.

Teachers could not be happier, spokesman Jelmer Evers of teachers union AOb said. “We have never had a quicker response to a survey. A whopping 73% of our members in secondary education said they wanted a national ban on mobiles in the classroom,” he said.

Pupils union LAKS said they had signed up to the agreement because phones can be a problem in lessons. “Phones are part of pupils’ lives but we can see that they are a distraction in class,” LAKS chair Rafke Hagenaars said.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Education
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
AEX falls as Trump threatens 50% import tariff on European goods
Dutch forensic experts develop deepfake video detector
Zaanstad says yes to tourist tickets for Zaanse Schans windmills
Fewer international child abductions by parents last year
Weekend brings showers and cooler weather, sun still possible
NewsHomeEconomyArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now