Mobile phone ban comes into effect in Australian schools

As millions of kids return to school this week they will do so without phones, as a new ban comes into effect across Victoria, WA and later in the year – NSW.

Cybersecurity expert Susan McLean explained there will be different rules for schools in each state, and it will ultimately fall on teachers to monitor the phone use. 

"It's not about a ban on technology. It's about kids on social media doing what they like," Ms McLean told Today.

Each state will have different rules, which will come down to teachers to monitor. (AAP)
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 "In Victoria and Western Australia as of the start of the school year – no phones. You can bring them to school,  you have to lock them in a locker and collect them at the end of the day. NSW were doing a similar thing, but they've reneged a little bit and are putting it off till the middle of the year.

Ms McLean expressed disappointment in NSW delaying the ban. She believed they had ample time to get a plan in place.

"As to why NSW have put it off, when they've had 15 months to get their head around it…I don't know. Other states have got it sorted in six months… No-one can get an answer as to why. I stood beside the Premier in December 2018 when she announced what was going to happen. They've had a whole 12 months to get it sorted."

For NSW, the ban will come into effect later in the year. (iStock)

The crackdown is a response to concerns about classroom distraction and safety. 

"It removed that distraction, and that fiddle. I confiscate phones in my sessions if kids are using them. One student had 65 Snapchat notifications on her phone in 90 minutes…I've got students being shown pornography at school by others," Ms McLean said.

"We know cyberbullying happens at night. We know just banning personal use of phones isn't going to fix cyber bullying. What I get to see in schools, is unauthorised photography - kids take snaps of other kids, and then Snapchat them, put offensive comments on them.  It's about schools understanding they do have a duty of care to students to provide a safe place for kids."

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