Phone ban lifts focus, but senior students still lag in compliance

Summarised by Centrist

A March 2026 Ministry of Education update said the most common reason for breaches of the school phone ban was students contacting parents or family. 

According to the Education Review Office (ERO), fewer than 40% of year 12 and 13 students were complying.

ERO has issued a good practice guide urging schools to enforce the ban with consistent rules and “firm consequences”. Its advice says schools that strictly monitor the rules and confiscate phones when students breach them see much better results. 

ERO reports that secondary students are twice as likely to comply consistently when schools enforce the rules strongly, while a softer approach is less effective, especially for senior students.

ERO chief review officer Ruth Shinoda said that warnings alone do not change behaviour. She said confiscating the phone and notifying parents works better, and stressed that parents are “absolutely critical” to improving compliance. 

The agency has also encouraged families to contact children through school email or the school office rather than by text or phone during the day.

Education Minister Erica Stanford said the ban, introduced in April 2024 as part of National’s 2023 election policy, said 78% of teachers report students are focusing better on schoolwork, and around 65% of teachers and school leaders have seen a reduction in bullying. 

Compliance was strongest among younger students, with about 93% of year 7 and 8 students following the rules.

Read more over at The NZ Herald

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