A controversy has recently evolved in Hungary after the dismissal of a secondary school director who publicly announced he would defy recent legislation that bans the personal use by students of most digital devices, including mobile phones, in schools in Hungary. To put the Hungarian ban in perspective, it is worth noting that starting from this school year, the use of mobile phones has become prohibited in Italian primary schools, a measure supported by 83 per cent of Italians, according to a survey published on Monday.
The survey, conducted by SkyTG24 news television, found that 13 per cent of Italians disapprove of the regulation, while the rest expressed no opinion on the matter.
The data also indicates that the ban is more popular among right-wing voters than among those who vote for the centre-left.
The decision to ban mobile phones was made by Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara in July. From September this year, students in kindergartens and the first five grades of primary schools are not allowed to use mobile phones, even for educational or learning purposes. Tablets, computers, and other technological devices may be used under teacher supervision.
The start of the school year, as usual, varies by region: educational institutions in the Alpine region of Bolzano will reopen first on 5 September. The school year will commence four days later in the Trento area, followed by a start on 11 September in the regions of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Valle d’Aosta, Veneto, Piemonte, Marche, and Umbria. In most of Central and Southern Italy, schools will begin on 16 September.
According to the survey, 49 per cent of Italians do not want to postpone the start of the school year to October in the future, an option that was considered due to extreme heat. Thirty-eight per cent are in favour of the later start, while the rest expressed no opinion on the issue.
France, the Netherlands, and Finland have already banned, albeit in various forms and to various extents, the use of digital devices in schools.
Similarly, in Hungary, a ban on mobile phone use in primary and secondary schools was implemented as part of a broader initiative to improve focus and discipline among students. The Hungarian government, following the example of other European countries, aims to minimize distractions in the classroom and foster a more traditional learning environment.
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