Thousands of students are back in the classroom in NSW today and it marks the start of a ban on mobile phones at all public high schools. NSW is the latest state to join the almost nationwide ban on phones in classrooms.
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00:00 We want to really preserve the sanctity of the classroom.
00:04 We want to remove distractions and that's in response to listening to 95,000 teachers,
00:11 2,200 principals, school communities.
00:14 We also want to have playgrounds back full of hopscotch and handball rather than looking
00:19 at phones and the socialisation aspect of school restored back at recess and lunch.
00:26 And also we want to try and negate the impact and growth of cyber bullying that's been reported
00:32 to us inside the school gates.
00:34 Principals and staff in our schools tell us that school is not like the vibrant place
00:40 that you and I were part of when recess and lunch comes around.
00:45 The kids are really addicted to their phones and rather than talk and engage with each
00:50 other they'd rather text and use Snapchat and devices of that kind.
00:55 And we're going to take this issue seriously.
00:58 We're going to look at undertaking a research project into mobile phone use and screen addiction,
01:04 video game addiction.
01:06 It's a serious topic of discussion amongst education ministers and secretaries across
01:12 the country, indeed globally.
01:15 And this is a really important step across 500 public high schools to remove the distraction
01:21 of the phone in class and to help our teachers and students really concentrate on teaching
01:27 and learning.
01:29 We've had a six month lead up with our schools to work on a contextual solution.
01:34 So if I take you to Plumpton High School with Tim Lloyd, our principal there, they've already
01:39 instituted the ban.
01:41 It's an off and away policy.
01:43 So if the phone is seen it's got to be put away.
01:47 If that persists then it can be confiscated for the day.
01:50 In other schools like Kalara and Asquith Girls High School and Kalara High School we've seen
01:56 the use of yonder pouches.
01:59 At Granville South Creative and Performing Arts High School it's been an off and away
02:02 policy.
02:04 And indeed at Condal Park High School the policy has been in play for 16 years.
02:09 Susie Mabeyed and the team have had a no mobile phone in school policy for 16 years.
02:16 And what they do is our students hand in the phone on arrival at the school at the front
02:21 office and then collect it at the end of the day.
02:24 Many of our schools are already underway and from today it kicks off right across the system.
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