70% of primary schools in Reykjavík are phone-free, with most principals reporting successful enforcement of phone bans. A survey conducted by the Ombudsman for Children in August found that 45% of primary schools nationwide had banned phones entirely, while 52% allowed them with restrictions.
70% phone free
A total of 26 schools in Reykjavík, or 70%, are phone-free, while 12 schools, or 30%, are not. Reykjavík’s School and Recreation Council provided this information in response to a query by a Reykjavík City Council representative from the Independence Party.
As noted by Vísir, the School and Recreation Department conducted a survey on phone use in primary schools, sending a questionnaire to all school principals in the city in October. When the responses were analysed by service centre (there are four service centres in Reykjavík), the following was revealed:
- East Service Centre, 9 schools were phone-free while 6 said they were not.
- North Service Centre, 8 schools were phone-free and 3 were not.
- South Service Centre, 3 schools were phone-free, 2 were not.
- West Service Centre, 6 schools were phone-free, 1 was not.
The principals who responded to the survey were also asked how phone bans were enforced and how implementation had progressed. Most principals stated that enforcing the ban had “gone well.”
Phones off, in bags
In those schools where a phone ban was enforced, the general rule regarding phone use was that phones must be turned off and kept in students’ bags during school hours. If students forgot the rules and took their phones out, teachers would remind them of the rules and ask them to put the phones back in their bags.
In cases where students did not comply with instructions to put their phones away, the phones were confiscated, and parents or guardians were contacted to retrieve them.
“Several principals noted the importance of drafting phone-use policies in consultation with students and, in some cases, parents, which they said significantly contributed to students’ willingness to follow the rules. One principal mentioned that students and parents had signed an agreement regarding phone use, which greatly helped enforce the rules. However, it was noted that this specific practice was not explicitly queried in the survey, so it may also be in place in other schools,” the response from Reykjavík’s School and Recreational Council notes.
45% banned phones nationwide
As reported by Vísir in October, a recent survey by the Ombudsman for Children found that 45% of primary schools nationwide had banned phones entirely, while 52% allowed them with restrictions.
The survey, conducted in late August, received responses from 126 of the 174 schools contacted, with all confirming that they had some form of phone-use policy. As noted by Vísir, most schools enforced stricter phone bans for younger students, while older students typically faced restrictions rather than a complete ban.
30% of students voted in favour
The primary school in Þorlákshöfn recently implemented a total ban on student phone use. Ólína Þorleifsdóttir, principal of the Þorlákshöfn primary school, told Vísir that phone use during school hours “deprived children of essential social development.”
Ólína explained that the decision to ban phones followed extensive consultation with students, parents, and staff. She observed that excessive phone use had made the school environment overly quiet and devoid of joy.
“The teenagers had essentially become too quiet; there was so little joy and sense of play,” Ólína stated, noting that the school had held a meeting with parents and shared findings from various studies, after which 90% of parents voted to ban phones.
Students were also consulted, with 30% supporting the ban and suggesting alternative activities.
“The teenage years are a critical time for social development, and by allowing them to hide behind screens, we are robbing them of these opportunities,” Ólína concluded.
