I have been teaching at a high school in Georgia for several months now. It’s a private school, and, from the outset, students have been required to turn in their phones at the start of the school day, not getting them back until the last bell rings several hours later. Yes, some cheeky students try to trick the system, claiming they left their phones at home when, in fact, they have them hidden in pockets or bags. They know if they get caught texting, though, they will have to hand them over and may not get them back until the next day.
I’ve seen how challenging it can be when there are no such rules when I’ve sat in on classes at state schools. Some students are engaged in the lessons, but many are checking their phones under the desk, and I’ve even teachers occasionally glancing at notifications. I know this scenario reflects a challenge common in classrooms worldwide: balancing learning with the presence of smartphones and the constant pull of social media.
But Georgia is finally planning to limit mobile phone use in classrooms across the board, for both students and teachers. Under proposed amendments to the Law on General Education, mobile phones would need to be stored away during lessons in public schools starting from the 2026–2027 academic year. The Ministry of Education emphasizes that this policy is not intended to punish teachers, but to set a positive example. Teachers would place their phones in boxes or cupboards alongside students’ devices during lessons, reinforcing a culture of attention, discipline, and engagement.
I love the idea. That said, as a teacher who occasionally gives students online research tasks in pairs during class, I hope some teacher-controlled flexibility will be allowed: cell phones are a part of our lives, after all, and can be used for good (research) as well as bad (social media scrolling!).
The Ministry has said that detailed regulations, including exceptions and oversight mechanisms, are still under development. However, the main concept is to reduce distractions, encourage participation, and improve the overall learning environment. I can only see the good in that.
How Other Countries Handle Classroom Phones
Georgia’s approach aligns with international trends, though it varies compared with neighboring countries and Europe.
In Armenia, many schools, particularly in the capital Yerevan, already restrict mobile phone use. Younger students aren’t allowed to use phones during the school day, while older students may use devices only for educational purposes under teacher supervision.
Azerbaijan does not have a nationwide policy. Individual schools set their own rules on phone use, and there are no statutory restrictions comparable to those upcoming in Georgia and in some European countries.
In Europe, policies vary. France introduced a nationwide ban for primary and secondary schools in 2018, prohibiting phones during the school day. Finland allows students to use phones only with teacher permission, and primarily for educational purposes. Greece prohibits mobile phone use during school hours, requiring devices to be stored away.
While the European Union doesn’t have a single binding policy on phone use in schools, many member states have tightened restrictions in recent years, citing benefits for classroom focus, social interaction, and student wellbeing.
Evidence on Educational and Health Impacts
I did some digging into the research, and what I found suggests that the impact of mobile phones in schools isn’t straightforward, but there are credible indications that limiting phones can help. Multiple international studies have found that, overall, student mobile phone use tends to be negatively associated with academic outcomes such as test scores and grades. In nearly all the research examined, higher levels of phone use were linked with lower classroom performance measures and poorer self reported academic achievement, even though a few studies found no positive effects.
Targeted research from the United Kingdom, combining data from many schools, found that when mobile phones were banned, students’ test scores improved modestly, roughly equivalent to what you might expect from an extra hour of teaching per week. These gains were most noticeable among students who were struggling before the ban, while high achieving students showed little change.
As a parent of teens, I can confirm that excessive smartphone use is linked to poor sleep, increased anxiety, and reduced physical activity. In our house, prying phones out of teen fingers is a nightly battle for a routine I wish I’d instilled earlier.
Phone bans during school hours can also reduce cyberbullying incidents and encourage face-to-face interaction. However, bans alone won’t necessarily reduce overall screen time or fully address mental health concerns. That’s why the increasingly popular idea of a “social media ban for under 16s” would be a welcome addition in Georgia.
Surveys show that teachers experience fewer disruptions and report lower stress levels when students’ phone use is restricted. Teachers’ own use of phones during lessons has been linked to decreased student attention, with the limiting of teacher phone use intended to set a good example by modeling focused behavior. Research on long-term effects on teacher health is limited, but suggests improved classroom management and engagement.
Looking Ahead to the Big Ban
I’m eagerly awaiting the Ministry of Education’s release of further details about the implementation of phone restrictions, including how exceptions will be handled and how oversight mechanisms will work. Georgia’s recognition of the issue at least reflects the growing international trend seeking to manage digital distractions, particularly in schools.
While phone bans are not a universal solution to this 21st-century problem, evidence suggests they can support better learning outcomes, improved classroom behavior, and more meaningful teacher-student interactions. By encouraging both students and teachers to limit phone use during lessons, Georgia aims to create classrooms where attention, participation, and personal example come first.
As a teacher at a school that already bans phones in the classroom, I can already picture the difference this could make countrywide: students truly looking up from their desks, participating in lessons, talking to each other during breaks instead of scrolling, and teachers fully present in the room. For once, the classroom might feel like a space where learning, curiosity, and connection come first, and that’s a change I’m excited to see.
Blog by Katie Ruth Davies
