It is very likely that the national government will craft regulations that will ban the use of smart phones in primary schools next year.
Jurisdictions
While primary and secondary schools fall under the auspices of their corresponding municipalities, the national government can introduce legislation or regulations that establish policies in these schools.
Speaking to RÚV, Minister of Education and Children’s Affairs Ásthildur Lóa Þórsdóttir said that her ministry will very likely craft regulations regarding the use of smart phones in primary schools next year.
Regulations differ from laws in that they are typically not submitted to Parliament for a vote but rather crafted by a minister and put into effect.
Social media the biggest problem
As it stands now, different schools have different policies about smart phone use, with some banning them outright, some with a laissez-faire attitude, and others that require phones to be put away during class time.
Ásthildur, who is a teacher herself, told reporters that it is not the phones per se that are the problem, but rather social media.
“This is a constant distraction that the children have,” she said. “And we adults, we have no control over these devices.”
The mobile phone ban is not a new idea, having been explored by the previous government with an initiative that began in 2023.
