Children in Greece will no longer be able to use mobile phones in primary and secondary schools from September, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced after a meeting with Education Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis.
The new law, similar to that in Belgium and France, says that children will be able to bring mobile phones to school, but will not be able to use them during lessons.
Mitsotakis stated that this law is an extension of the previous one, which states that children may not film and make fun of their schoolmates.
Under the new rules, students who do not comply will be suspended from school for a day. In the case of repeated violations, teachers have the authority to remove students from classes for several days. Also, anyone filming their schoolmates or teachers without permission could face expulsion from school.
“We don’t necessarily expect 100 percent compliance from day one, but we want kids, their parents and educators to understand the importance of students being fully focused on the educational process at school,” Mitsotakis said.
