The mobile phone – a device that has become inseparable from our daily lives. In schools too, it has often been a source of distraction.
To counter this, the Education Ministry has introduced a mobile phone ban across all primary and secondary schools in Luxembourg. The measure came into force for primary schools on 22 April, and from this Monday, it applies to all secondary schools as well. But what does this look like in practice, and how do students feel about it?
Following the announcement in mid-May, schools were given the liberty to decide for themselves how and to what extent the rules would be implemented. Some schools have established phone-free zones, while others have limited Wi-Fi access or only allow pupils to use their phones during breaks.
The main aim is to help students concentrate better in class and reduce constant mobile phone use. However, the initiative also seeks to teach students how to engage with digital tools in a more responsible and reflective way.
At the Lycée Aline Mayrisch, headmistress Carole Chaine explained that their approach differentiates between younger and older pupils. In conversation with RTL, she argued that as students mature, they also become more responsible and should therefore be guided in using devices differently. The school aims to show pupils how such devices can influence behaviour, and to raise awareness about the importance of using them mindfully.
The Lycée Aline Mayrisch had already introduced the phone ban at the start of the previous academic year. Certain floors of the school building are entirely phone-free, and during lessons, students must hand in their phones, which are returned at lunchtime.
From Year 10 – known as ‘Quatrième’ – onwards, they are allowed to use their phones during short breaks. The goal, according to the school, is not merely to enforce a ban but to educate students and help them understand how dependent everyone has become on these devices.
In cases where students fail to follow the rules, clear consequences are in place. For more serious breaches, students are required to hand in their phones at the school office each morning for a week, only getting them back after school. If it happens again, parents are called in and encouraged to take further responsibility.
Some parents reportedly even suggested that the phone stay in the school’s safe for another week to avoid further issues at home. On average, the school office holds between eight and 10 confiscated phones at any given time, mostly from younger pupils, according to officials.
Despite this, student reactions to the ban have been largely positive. Many feel that it has encouraged more conversation among classmates, as fewer students are glued to their screens.
Others have said they do not really need their phones during school hours, as there is plenty of time to use them at home. Several pupils appreciate the fact that phones are returned during breaks and that the rules mainly apply during lessons, when the focus should be on learning.
Some also welcomed the age-based system, noting that older students enjoy a bit more freedom and autonomy in how they use their devices. However, not all students agree with this distinction. A few younger pupils expressed frustration that older students are allowed to keep their phones while they are not, arguing that they all attend the same school and should be treated equally.
One student felt that responsible phone use should be a matter of individual choice, especially for those aged 17 or older, and suggested that simply turning the phone off and leaving it in one’s bag should be enough.
So far, schools have noticed a positive effect: students are talking and laughing more, and the level of distraction caused by mobile phones has significantly decreased.
