WARSAW, March 18 (Reuters) - Poland plans to ban the use of mobile phones by under-16s in schools from September 1, the education minister said on Wednesday, joining a growing list of countries moving to limit children's screen time and social media use.
Countries including the Netherlands, South Korea and Italy have banned smartphones in schools due to concerns over their impact on concentration and behaviour. Others have banned - or are considering banning - children's access to social media.
"We are currently finalising work on a major legislative change, crucial for schools, which will result in a ban on mobile phone use in primary schools from September 1, 2026," Barbara Nowacka told reporters.
In Poland children aged 7-15 attend primary school.
Nowacka said using phones in school "cannot be the norm because we see how dependent children are on the internet".
In February, Nowacka outlined plans to ban children under 15 from using social media, opening the door to a potential clash with major U.S. tech firms.
(Reporting by Alan CharlishEditing by Gareth Jones)
