Mobile phones, smart watches and wireless earbuds will be banned in all Victorian schools, whether public or private under the new legislation announced by the state government on Wednesday.
The legislation will commence on 28 January 2027, and the restrictions will now be applicable to all schools, not only government schools, but also Catholic and private schools.
Victoria will be the first state in the country to introduce legislation on the restrictions on wearable technology in schools.
Under the new legislation, mobile phones have to be switched off and kept away from the first bell to the last, smart watches have to have the notification, cellular and recording functions disabled and personal audio devices, such as earbuds will not be allowed in school hours.
The legislation was announced by the state Premier Jacinta Allan, who said, “It’s very simple. We’re talking about giving Victorian students more learning time, less distraction and that’s what this policy is all about.”
The Education Minister, Ben Carroll said the Department of Education would be working closely with the schools to ensure the restrictions are practical to implement.
Students were more attentive in class, more gregarious during breaks and schools reported fewer serious phone related incidents, according to an independent assessment of that previous policy.
Students who need devices to manage medical conditions will be exempt.
Support from Catholic and independent sectors
The Catholic and independent school systems have supported the decision.
Victorian Catholic Education Authority CEO Elizabeth Labone stated, “Any initiative that increases student engagement is certainly welcome.”
At the school level, the response to the decision has been overwhelmingly positive.
King’s College Warrnambool principal Allister Rouse told The Standard that while he welcomed the decision, the smart watch part might be more difficult to police than banning phones.
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Emmanuel College Warrnambool principal Rachel McGennisken stated that the decision reinforced what they were already doing and that there needs to be a united front in the region.
She added that “no one policy will ever be the definitive answer to managing technology, because technology is constantly changing.”
With differing regulations regarding smartwatches and other personal devices, all Australian states and territories currently impose some sort of restriction on the use of phones in public schools.
According to UNESCO, about 40% of educational systems worldwide currently prohibit smartphones in classrooms.
With the intention of putting the new regulations into effect for the beginning of the 2027 academic year, the Victorian government has stated that it will present the legislation to parliament later this year.
