Daniel Kebede, the National Education Union (NEU) chief, has stirred a nationwide conversation by advocating for a legal prohibition on mobile phones in all UK schools. Kebede cites unregulated access to explicit content as harmful to children and is calling for public opinion on the matter. The Children’s Commissioner conducted a survey revealing that the majority of the 15,000 schools in England already have policies restricting mobile phone use during the school day. Current rules range from having mobiles out of sight, banning their use during lessons and breaks, to storing them securely for the entire school day. The government, however, has so far refrained from imposing a blanket ban, leaving the decision to individual headteachers. Kebede’s stance remains firm, claiming that a statutory ban would lessen pressure on school leaders, teachers and parents, and protect children’s wellbeing. He suggested that the UK could follow the Australian example, where a social media ban for children under 16 has been passed. Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner for England, supports any headteacher who opts for a mobile phone ban, insisting that decisions should be based on the specific needs of their pupils. The debate continues as critics, including Mr Starmer in the Commons, label a legal ban as ‘completely unnecessary’, pointing out that most schools already enforce their own prohibitions.
This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk.
