Sweden to impose smartphone ban in schools to improve learning

Sweden is set to impose a nationwide smartphone ban in schools starting from the 2026-27 academic year as part of broader efforts to reverse declining student performance.

Under the new rule, all schools and after-school clubs will be required to collect the phones of students aged 15-16 and keep them until the end of the day, starting from the 2026-27 autumn term, the Guardian reported.

Education Minister Simona Mohamsson told a press conference earlier this year that the smartphone ban is part of the government’s move to ensure all schools become “mobile-free zones.”

“This should apply to everyone in all of Sweden’s classrooms. It applies to every young person in Sweden and is not optional,” she previously said of the ban.

Alongside the ban, the government will place greater emphasis on reading books and traditional learning methods, while allocating SEK555 million ($59 million) in grants to help schools purchase textbooks and teachers’ guides.

Back to basics

Joar Forsell, chair of the Swedish parliament’s education committee, said the move would help improve declining reading and writing skills among students, reduce distraction and create a more conducive learning environment.

Forsell also said the policy aims to promote reading and foster a culture of readers in the long run, emphasising that books would help students learn without relying heavily on digital tools.

“We’re rolling the screens back because we believe that books and more traditional ways of learning are better for kids,” he said, as quoted by the Kuwait Times.

Sweden will now join other Nordic countries such as Denmark and Norway that have implemented mobile phone ban and stricter social media regulations.

The move marks a notable shift for the tech-savvy Nordic country, which has promoted the use of laptops and tablets in classrooms since the early 2010s and was once viewed as a leader in digital education.

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Declining performance fuels the shift

The Scandinavian country’s decision to return to more traditional learning methods came after its earlier push for digital education coincided with a decline in students’ basic skills.

The 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed that 24.3% of Swedish ninth graders did not reach a basic level of reading comprehension, slightly below the European Union average of 26.2%, Idaho Press reported.

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study also highlighted a decline in Swedish reading ability between 2016 and 2021, although the country continued to score above the European average.

In 2021, Swedish fourth graders averaged 544 points, down from 555 points in 2016, placing the country seventh-highest overall alongside Taiwan.

The government also cited studies showing that Swedish students are more distracted by digital tools compared with students in the OECD on average.

Experts attributed this to the overuse of screens during lessons, as well as other factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing number of immigrant students.

Parents play a pivotal role

Beyond schools, Sweden’s public health agency has urged parents to reduce their own screen time at home to become role models for their children.

The agency introduced new guidelines recommending that families create “screen-free zones” in parts of the home, including bedrooms and dining areas.

“Put your phone away when you’re with your child. Use it only if you need to or when you’re using it together,” it said in a statement, adding that adults who create good screen habits would influence children’s habits.

The appeal came after the agency’s research found that parents’ screen use could affect their interactions with children, highlighting a connection between parents’ and children’s screen habits.

Mixed reactions to ban

Several educational experts welcomed the government’s decision, saying that greater use of physical learning materials could help students improve focus and cognitive retention.

Magnus Haake, an associate professor of cognitive science at Lund University, said hands-on learning could help students strengthen their memory and engagement, The Associated Press reported.

However, critics and industry groups warned that reducing digital exposure could leave students underprepared for a technology-driven job market, emphasising the importance of digital literacy.

The Swedish Edtech Industry said at least 90 per cent of future jobs are expected to require digital skills, and a lack of such knowledge could contribute to skills shortages, reduced innovation and higher unemployment.

Meanwhile, Peter Carlsson, chief executive of Malmo-based start-up Imvi Labs, said not all screens disrupt learning, arguing that some software is “critical” for helping students with learning or reading difficulties.

The debate highlights the challenge for the Swedish government to balance digital and traditional learning approaches to better support students in the future.

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