Parents back phone ban in schools, want more info on use of AI

Seven in 10 parents want a blanket ban on mobile phones in schools, according to an annual survey on digitalisation in education among almost 1,000 parents.

The survey, published on Tuesday, showed that  27% of parents said their children had problems sleeping because of too much screen time.

Around a fifth of parents reported their offspring felt more stress and insecurity and some said they were worried their children could end up with a negative self-image. Eight in 10 backed a social media ban for children under the age of 15.

Mobile phones have been banned from classrooms since January 1, 2024 and almost half of the respondents said their children’s schools had banned phones in the whole of the building. Over 70% said they agreed with the rule, saying it stimulated normal conversation between pupils.

According to the survey, over half of the children agree with a classroom ban but just 32% supports a blanket ban.

The survey also looked at how schools are dealing with artificial intelligence. Three-quarters of parents said schools didn’t keep them informed about the rules around the use of AI. Some 55% of pupils use AI in schoolwork, the survey indicated.

“Parents are not against or for the use of AI in schools as such,” Lobke Vlaming, director of Ouders & Onderwijs, which conducted the survey, said. “But they do want to know what is happening and why schools make certain choices.

“It’s a subject where cooperation between parents and schools is important,” Vlaming said. “Parents want their children to understand the risks and limits of AI. They want them to know that AI can’t always be trusted and that much of the information is incorrect.”

Ouders & Onderwijs is calling on schools not to wait for policies on digitalisation in education but to engage with parents about the pros and cons.