The majority of Netherlands teachers are in favour of a Government-imposed ban on mobile phones in class, a survey among some 8,400 educators has shown.
While just 54 per cent and 57 per cent of primary and trade school teachers back a ban, 73 per cent of secondary school teachers said they wanted the phones to go.
General Education Union official responsible for secondary education, Jelmer Evers said the membership had made their views crystal clear.
“Our members are saying that mobile phones are having a detrimental effect on pupils’ ability to concentrate,” Mr Evers said.
“That, in turn, affects the effectiveness of the teaching,” he said.
“Of the teachers voting against the ban, 21 per cent said they preferred schools to make their own arrangements about phones in class, while six per cent said they wanted to decide the matter for themselves.”
Mr Evers said the implementation of any ban would have to be up to the school “for instance banning them throughout the school, or allowing pupils to bring them but to put them in a locker”.
“We are in favour of schools deciding what works best for them, but one thing is clear: Most teachers don’t want them in their classrooms.”
Some schools already have a ban in place, with Alfrink College English teacher, Gert Verbruggen saying the school had had a ‘leave it at home or in the locker’ policy for the past four years.
“The phone stays there all day, including during breaks. Our pupils are actually talking to each other,” Mr Verbruggen said.
The Hague, 8 April 2023
