Sweden will introduce a nationwide ban on mobile phones in all schools from the start of the 2026 autumn term, in a move aimed at improving security and study conditions for pupils.
Under the new rules, which will apply to children aged between seven and 16, all schools and after-school clubs will be required to collect students’ phones at the start of the day and return them only when classes have finished.
The measure forms part of a wider package of education reforms announced by the government on Tuesday. Other proposals include changes to the curriculum, the grading system and teacher training.
Education and schools minister Simona Mohamsson described the reforms as “a historic budget investment in schools and the biggest reform agenda in over 30 years”. The government’s budget bill, due to be submitted next week, allocates 95 million kronor (£7.52 million) in 2026 and 100 million kronor the following year to implement the phone ban.
Although many Swedish schools already confiscate mobile phones during lessons, officials say pupils have found ways to circumvent existing rules, such as handing in a non-functioning device or claiming to have forgotten their phone. Mohamsson, who leads the Liberals party, has previously stated that the new policy “should apply to everyone in all of Sweden’s classrooms” and “is not optional”.
The move follows similar measures in other European countries. Denmark announced earlier this year that it would ban mobile phones in schools and after-school clubs, following a government commission’s recommendation that children under 13 should not own a smartphone or tablet. In 2024, Norway introduced a minimum age of 15 for social media use, accusing technology companies of being “pitted against small children’s brains”.
The Netherlands issued national guidelines in January 2024 recommending a ban on smartphones in classrooms, with almost all Dutch schools complying. Research there has indicated improvements in the learning environment, with 75 per cent of secondary schools reporting that pupils found it easier to concentrate and 28 per cent noting improved academic results.
France tightened its restrictions on mobile phone use in middle schools in September.
Sweden’s government says the forthcoming ban is intended to create a more focused and secure environment for learning, while ensuring consistent rules across the country’s education system. The reforms are expected to be in place for the start of the 2026–27 academic year.
