Smartphone Ban Singapore Schools 2026:
What Parents Need to Know
From January 2026, your child can no longer use their smartphone at any time during school hours — not during lessons, not during recess, not even during CCAs.
Make no mistake: this is NOT just another school rule. This is a sweeping national policy first signalled by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the National Day Rally 2025 — Singapore's most important annual address. When a PM personally champions an education policy, it tells you the government views this as a defining challenge of our generation — one that will shape your child's brain development, mental health, and social skills for decades to come.
What Changed in 2026
🗓️ Effective January 2026 for ALL secondary schools
Devices Banned
- 📱Smartphones
- ⌚Smartwatches (with messaging/apps)
- 🚫myFirst Fone + Smart Buddy Tags
When It Applies
- 📚During lessons
- 🍱During RECESS
- ⚽During CCAs
- ✏️During enrichment/remedial
Storage Rules
- ⭕Must be SWITCHED OFF
- 🗄️Kept in lockers or school bags
- 🏫Each school sets own routine
Exceptions Allowed
- 💳POSB Smart Buddy Watch for e-payment
- 🏥Medical needs (health apps)
- 📝School-approved exceptions
New PLD Sleep Mode: 10:30pm → 6:30am
Personal Learning Devices will now lock at 10:30pm (was 11pm) to encourage earlier sleep.
If Caught Using Phone
No standardized penalty from MOE. Schools prefer counselling-based interventions before punitive measures. Teachers work with parents to address misuse.
ALL DAY
Not just lessons
SWITCHED OFF
Not silent mode
IN LOCKER
Not in pocket
WATCHES TOO
If has apps/messaging
📎 Sources: MOE Press Release, 30 Nov 2025 | Mothership
Why the Prime Minister Signalled This Change
Before MOE officially announced the ban, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong sent a powerful signal at the National Day Rally 2025 — Singapore's most important annual policy speech. When a Prime Minister personally raises an issue at NDR, it tells the nation: "This is a top priority."
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong
National Day Rally 2025 | 17 August 2025
“Many parents worry that their children are spending too much time on screens – whether scrolling on social media, surfing the internet or playing computer games.
To be clear, this is not a new worry – in the past, children were constantly reminded not to watch too much TV. But today's environment is on a wholly different scale.
Everyone is online – always connected, and always within reach on their phones, 24/7.
So it is much harder for parents to set boundaries, or even to know what their children are doing.
And when young people become overly immersed in the virtual world, they may lose touch with the real one.
They may:
And over time, all this can quietly chip away at their self-esteem, emotional development and mental wellbeing.”
When the Prime Minister personally announces an education policy, it signals that this is:
A National Priority
Not just an MOE decision
Well-Researched
Based on global evidence
Generational Impact
Will shape future generations
The smartphone ban is part of the broader Grow Well SG initiative launched in January 2025 — a national health promotion strategy that addresses children's physical, mental, and digital well-being.
Singapore Joins 60+ Countries Taking Action
Singapore is not alone. According to UNESCO , more than 60 countries now have measures restricting smartphone use in schools.
Australia
World's First Social Media Ban for Under-16Australia became the first country in the world to enforce a nationwide ban on social media for children under 16. The law took effect on 10 December 2025.
- • Platforms affected: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, YouTube
- • Parents cannot give consent to bypass the age limit
- • Tech companies face fines up to $49.5 million AUD
- • 70% of Australians support the ban
Source: Australian eSafety Commissioner
France
Pioneer Since 2018France was among the first to act. Cell phones have been prohibited in primary and secondary schools since 2018. In 2024, the government extended the ban with a "digital break" pilot across 200 schools.
Source: Euronews
Finland
New Law August 2025Even Finland — famous for its relaxed, trust-based education system — has now restricted phone use. The law entered force on 1 August 2025.
- • Pupils need explicit teacher permission to use devices
- • Teachers can confiscate phones that disrupt learning
- • 70% of Finnish teachers say phones impair concentration
Source: Finnish Government
China
Strictest RegulationsChina has gone further than any other nation with mandatory screen time limits enforced via "Minor Mode" on all devices.
- • Under 8: 40 minutes/day
- • Ages 8-16: 1 hour/day
- • Ages 16-18: 2 hours/day
- • All minors: No internet 10pm-6am
- • Gaming limit: 3 hours per week (Fri-Sun only)
Source: CNN
Netherlands
January 2024A ban on the non-educational use of smartphones entered into force in January 2024 for primary and secondary schools, including smartwatches and tablets.
Source: Euronews
The Science: What Screens Do to Developing Brains
This isn't based on opinions or fear. It's based on peer-reviewed research from the world's top institutions.
NIH Study (2018) - Brain Cortex Thinning
A landmark National Institutes of Health (NIH) study found that children with more than 7 hours of daily screen time experienced thinning of the brain's cortex — the area responsible for critical thinking and reasoning.
Children with 2+ hours daily scored lower on language and thinking tests.
Cincinnati Children's (2022) - MRI Scans
MRI scans of 52 children aged 3-5 revealed that high screen use was linked to under-development in higher-order brain areas responsible for:
- • Language development
- • Reading skills
- • Empathy and understanding emotions
Source: Cincinnati Children's Research
OECD PISA 2022 - Academic Impact
The world's largest education study found devastating effects of phone distractions:
- •1 in 3 students reported being distracted by phones in most/all maths classes
- •Distracted students scored 3/4 of a school year lower in maths
- •59% of students said their attention was diverted by others using phones
Source: OECD PISA 2022 Results
"The Anxious Generation" - Jonathan Haidt (2024)
NYU Professor Jonathan Haidt's #1 New York Times bestseller argues that smartphones and social media have caused an epidemic of mental illness in teens.
"If you went through puberty on a flip phone, your mental health is probably okay. If you went through puberty on a smartphone with social media and five hours a day of screen time, you are at much higher risk of being anxious and depressed."
The book was named one of Barack Obama's Favorite Books of 2024.
Source: Jonathan Haidt Official
Pros and Cons: A Balanced View
Every policy has trade-offs. Here's an honest look at both sides:
Benefits
Why the ban is good
Reduced Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying incidents drop significantly when phones are locked away
More Face-to-Face Interaction
Students talk to each other during recess again
Better Sleep
PLD sleep mode at 10:30pm encourages earlier rest
Concerns
Valid worries to consider
Emergency Communication
Parents worry about reaching their child during emergencies
Solution: Contact school General Office
"But What About Emergencies?"
This is the #1 concern parents have raised. Here's what MOE says:
"Schools have protocols for emergency communication with parents. Should parents have an urgent message to relay to their children, they can contact the school's General Office and students who need to contact their parents may also do so using phones in the General Office."
— Minister of State for Education Jasmin Lau, Parliament 2026 | Mothership
How to Contact Your Child During School Hours
It's easy — just 3 steps
Call School
Ring the General Office
Staff Relays
Message sent to your child
Child Calls Back
Using the office phone
What Singapore Parents Are Saying
According to Minister Jasmin Lau, "by and large, parents have been supportive" of the ban.
Supportive Parent
"It was quite scary because you don't realise it until it's too late... I hope that all parents should really ban handphone usage for their kids."
Source: SCMP
Pleasantly Surprised
"Students had gone without using their phones during recess for more than half a year... I haven't heard a single word of protest from him or his friends, beyond the initial grumbles."
Source: HoneyKids Asia
The Bottom Line
This policy wasn't made lightly. When 60+ countries take similar action, when peer-reviewed research shows clear harms, and when a Prime Minister personally announces it at the nation's most important policy speech — you know this is about protecting an entire generation.
Your child may grumble at first. But the science suggests they'll thank us later — with better focus, better mental health, and better real-world connections.
Related Resources
SGSchoolKaki Education Team
Ex-MOE Teachers, Private Tutors & Education Data Analysts with 15+ Years Combined Experience
Reviewed by: KW Phoon
Founder, BEng(Hons) in Computing Engineering
Data-Driven Education Platform