Luxembourg will begin enforcing a partial ban on smartphones in schools from 22 April, starting with primary pupils, as part of a nationwide push to curb screen time and support students’ mental health and academic performance.

Following the 'Screen Life Balance' awareness campaign, launched for the 2024/25 school year, the Education Ministry will go ahead with its partial banning of smartphones in Luxembourg's schools after the Easter holidays. The ban, which is most restrictive in primary education, will thus come into effect on Tuesday, 22 April 2025.

Primary school pupils will only be allowed to use their personal devices for educational purposes or in case of an emergency. If these regulations are violated, the pupils risk having their phones confiscated until the end of the school day.

In secondary education, the partial ban will be rolled out on 2 June 2025 when smartphones will be formally "excluded from classes". Schools will further have the opportunity of creating specific charts to stipulate additional restrictions based on age, school periods, or zones.

The new regulations have been put in place in an effort to combat mental health issues and improve academic results. Education Minister Claude Meisch explained he intends to achieve the "right balance between the digital world and the real world". The ultimate goal is to "significantly reduce time spent staring at screens", the ministry adds in a press statement.

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