Sweden to ban mobile phones in schools

MALMÖ, Sweden — Sweden, a leader in the adoption of digital technology, is set to ban mobile phones in schools in the fall of the next academic year as part of a broader, international pushback against the use of screens in classrooms.

Starting in 2023, the Scandinavian country’s center-right coalition government is pursuing a policy of prioritizing more reading time and less screen time, especially among preschoolers, by supporting books and other traditional learning tools.

Lawmaker Joar Forsel, head of the Swedish parliament’s education committee, said authorities have seen a general decline in reading and writing skills in Sweden, particularly among younger students.

“We’re rolling back screens because we believe that books and traditional learning methods are best for kids,” Forcell said.

Sweden’s plans are part of a wider shift and digital reckoning against smartphones in schools internationally. Classrooms are filled with screens and a growing number of parents, teachers and school districts are saying it’s time to scale back.

In the Nordics, Denmark is set to implement a similar ban to Sweden, and a law restricting the use of mobile devices in schools in Finland took effect last August. Other countries, from Spain to South Korea, have taken measures ranging from banning mobile phones in classrooms to requiring screen-based homework.

The Los Angeles Unified School District, America’s second-largest school district, has said it will ban screens through second grade, require daily screen time per grade, ban YouTube and audit all educational technology contracts.

Retreating from screens

Home to music streamer Spotify and telecom giant Ericsson, tech-savvy Sweden has one of the world’s most digitally advanced education systems. But the mobile ban aims to foster a learning environment with fewer distractions by creating restrictions on phones already implemented independently by many schools in the country of more than 10 million.

Along with the ban, the government has set aside 555 million Swedish krona ($59 million) this year as part of a new subsidy to buy textbooks and teachers’ guides.

Falling reading levels prompted the back-to-books policy. A recent study by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in the 2022 Program for International Student Assessment found that 24.3% of Swedish ninth graders did not achieve basic reading comprehension. That figure is slightly better than the EU average of 26.2%.

Magnus Haag, associate professor of cognitive science at Lund University in southern Sweden, said learning with physical objects engages the motor-sensory part of children’s brains and “boosts the whole system.”

Sweden is also taking action outside of school: its public health agency has advised parents about setting a good example for using screens, such as having the same “screen-free zones” at home as their children.

Getting rid of mobile phones eliminates distractions

At Malmö Borgarskola High School in southern Sweden, mobiles are already banned during classes. Students put their phones in a box — nicknamed the “mobile hotel” — and pick them up at the end of class.

“When you have a phone, there’s always something to look at,” said 17-year-old student Melina Sallahi. “It’s less of a distraction.”

Classmate Vasilije Stjepanovic, 17, said apps like games or social media are “more fun than learning,” adding that students can learn better by carrying phones.

At the same time, each student is provided with a laptop. But deputy principal Patrick Sander said students are discouraged from using them in class unless teachers say so.

“Now, we’re seeing abundance go in the other direction,” Sander said. “We pushed back and learned that writing with your hands and a pencil helps you remember.”

Starting last summer, Swedish children under the age of 2 can only use non-digital materials such as books, and preschool children are generally not required to use digital learning tools. A new curriculum that prioritizes book-based learning is expected in 2028.

Sections on Digital Computing in Classrooms

Not everyone in the Nordics supports the shift away from digital learning.

According to a report by the trade association Swedish Edtech Industry, 90% of all future jobs are expected to require digital skills. This lack of knowledge could lead to skills shortages among young Swedes, a lack of innovation in the public sector and increased unemployment, the report warned.

Peter Karlsson, CEO of Imvi Labs, a Malmö-based startup that uses virtual reality headsets to train brain-eye coordination in children and adults, said not all screens disrupt learning, and some software is “crucial” for helping children with learning or reading difficulties.

“By having good tools, teaching becomes more efficient,” he said.

But at Malmö Borgarskola, learning digital skills is not much of a concern. One morning in May, students clutched textbooks and discussed Russian history as they prepared for final exams.

“Everybody uses digital devices in their free time, so I don’t think it’s something that should be taught in school,” said student Melina Sallahi. “I have nothing to worry about.”

Classmate Aslan Ozan Kilikasan added, “We learn more easily when we use books.”