Two years ago, Dutch schools banned mobile phones to reduce distractions, improve student concentration, and foster better academic performance. "There is now a more relaxed and calm atmosphere, without worrying too much about what is happening around them," explains teacher Ida Peters. Phones are also not allowed during breaks or school parties, she adds, so students don't worry about being photographed and posted on Snapchat or Instagram. "And when children are more relaxed, their academic performance improves," she states. Initial data supports her impressions. A study commissioned by the government to 317 secondary schools revealed that approximately three-quarters reported increased concentration since phones were banned. Almost two-thirds said the social climate had improved, and around a third observed better academic performance. "We socialize more; social relationships have improved." For Dutch children, browsing the internet on their mobile phone is no longer part of school life. Since then, mobile phones, smartwatches, and tablets have been banned from classrooms, hallways, and school cafeterias across the country. Now, the Dutch government wants to go further, pushing to restrict social media for under-16s and demanding an age limit of 15 or older across the European Union for apps like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. At the Cygnus Gymnasium in Amsterdam, a fluorescent yellow sign at the entrance warns students arriving by bike: "Attention: from now on, the phone must be in the locker." "It is always a challenge to achieve that concentration in class, and now that phones are less present, that certainly helps," says one student. In the Netherlands, the national agreement means the responsibility does not fall on teachers. The next question for the Netherlands is whether access to social media should also be a thing of the past. In the school hallway, opposite an English classroom decorated with Shakespeare's works, friends Hanna and Fena confess they have mixed feelings about the ban. "Since the ban, we have to be careful of teachers so they don't take our phones," they say. "There is less friction in managing the classes," affirms a teacher. "In the hallways, there used to be a lot of people looking at their phones. Now, during breaks, no one is on their cell phones." "We socialize more; social relationships have improved." For Dutch children, browsing the internet on their mobile phone is no longer part of school life. Since then, mobile phones, smartwatches, and tablets have been banned from classrooms, hallways, and school cafeterias across the country. Now, the Dutch government wants to go further, pushing to restrict social media for under-16s and demanding an age limit of 15 or older across the European Union for apps like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. At the Cygnus Gymnasium in Amsterdam, a fluorescent yellow sign at the entrance warns students arriving by bike: "Attention: from now on, the phone must be in the locker." "It is always a challenge to achieve that concentration in class, and now that phones are less present, that certainly helps," says one student. In the Netherlands, the national agreement means the responsibility does not fall on teachers. The next question for the Netherlands is whether access to social media should also be a thing of the past. In the school hallway, opposite an English classroom decorated with Shakespeare's works, friends Hanna and Fena confess they have mixed feelings about the ban. "Since the ban, we have to be careful of teachers so they don't take our phones," they say. "There is less friction in managing the classes," affirms a teacher. "In the hallways, there used to be a lot of people looking at their phones. Now, during breaks, no one is on their cell phones."
