Phones, smartwatches and earbuds to be banned in every Victorian school after government extends device crackdown
Updated . First published
Mobile phones, smartwatches and wireless headphones will soon be banned in every classroom in Victoria after the government extended its device crackdown to private schools.
Victoria's nation-first phone ban was first introduced to government schools in 2020 and will now capture all schools, including private and Catholic, from January 28, 2027.
Students will not be allowed to use smartphones or wearable devices such as Apple watches and wireless earbuds during school hours under the expanded legislation announced today.
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Victoria's classroom phone ban will extend to all schools, including Catholic and private schools. Getty
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The law will require all mobile phones to be switched off and stored away until the final bell, while wearable devices must have internet connections, recording functions and notifications turned off.
Victoria will be the first state or territory in Australia to outlaw wearable technology on school grounds.
Exceptions will apply for students who require devices for health reasons.
In the case of an emergency, parents or guardians can reach their child by calling the school.
Students were found to be more focused during classwork and more social during breaks after the ban was first introduced in 2020, according to an independent review.
Government schools also reported fewer incidents involving phones.
"The evidence shows it worked and now we're going further, so every Victorian student, in every Victorian school, can put their phone away and focus on learning," Victoria's Education Minister Ben Carroll said.
Victorian Deputy Premier and Education Minister Ben Carroll. Eddie Jim.
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The universal, state-wide ban will reduce screen time and encourage more "learning time" for students, Premier Jacinta Allan added.
Independent and Catholic school bosses have supported the imminent legislation.
"We welcome today's announcement and acknowledge the government's efforts to balance access to electronic devices with the need to support positive learning environments and student wellbeing," Independent Schools Victoria Chief Executive Rachel Holthouse said.
After Victoria introduced the ban in 2020, almost every other Australian states and territory followed suit with similar legislation.
Today's announcement follows federal legislation introduced in December last year which bans children under the age of 16 from accessing social media.
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