Debate contribution: Schools: Mobile Phone Pouches
Debate contribution by Mr Paul Givan on .
- MLA
- Mr Paul Givan
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 14 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Schools: Mobile Phone Pouches
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5685625
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for posing a serious question, one that is based on the now indisputable evidence of the harmful impacts of smartphone technology on our entire population but particularly on young people as they are developing and in our schools. King's College London carried out an evaluation of the eight participating schools in the pilot scheme and other schools that have already taken the initiative to invest in this kind of approach. The evaluation demonstrated that there was a clear benefit in removing smartphones from our schools. Pupils were less distracted, so they paid more attention to the subject matter. Behavioural issues in the schools reduced. Issues of concern from a welfare perspective, including in the teaching profession, were reduced. Conflict that was happening outside school settings and spilling into school settings was reduced. We did not have walk-ins — parents coming in to deal with issues in reception areas. Overall, the evaluation found that smartphone technology creates anxiety and has many drawbacks. It is the right policy that our schools should be smartphone-free. All of the evidence suggests that that is the approach to take, but we have not been prescriptive as to the best method by which the guidance ought to be implemented. I am consulting on whether legislation should be introduced so that the guidance is placed on a statutory footing to ensure that we have consistency of application of this clear policy across our school estate.
242 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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