Learn about when and why Ho Chi Minh city (HCM city) plans to ban students from using mobile phones in schools.
Currently, in Vietnam, mobile phones are allowed during break times and can be used in lessons if approved by teachers (under policy from the Ministry of Education and Training). However, many schools in HCM city already have no-phone policies and the results have been ‘encouraging’ so the city plans to roll this city-wide imitative. The aim is to encourage students to interact more with their peers, spend time taking part in physical actives and improve focus during lessons. The schools who already have these policies in place note that, ‘while some students initially resisted, most eventually became more focused during lessons and more engaged with peers during breaks.’ Additionally, in a survey of 3,600 people, around 83% of them supported the banning of phones in schools. 1
Many countries including the UK, have introduced policies prohibiting or restricting the use of phones in schools. Excessive phone use is a concern for children’s emotional wellbeing, with UNESCO urging governments to restrict the use of smartphones in schools, following a 2023 study that found smartphones ‘reduce student’s academic focus and emotional wellbeing’. They also want this in place so children are better protected from online harms such as cyberbullying. Other recommended reforms from experts include: phone-free schools, delaying use until high/secondary school, restricting social media access until the age of 16 and ‘encouraging greater real-world independence for children.’ 1
