Poland plans to ban mobile phones in all primary schools from next academic year under draft legislation approved by the government on Tuesday.

The proposal, which will now be submitted to parliament, would take effect on September 1, 2026.

In Poland, primary school education runs through the eighth grade.

The planned law would prohibit the use of mobile phones and other devices capable of recording audio or video during lessons and breaks.

The ban would apply to both public and private schools, the Education Ministry said.

Exceptions would be permitted when using a phone is required for teaching, educational support, or health and safety reasons.

Education Minister Barbara Nowacka said the measure is a response to teachers’ calls for stricter rules on smartphone use in schools.

She said that more than half of Poland’s schools had already introduced similar restrictions on a voluntary basis.

The government also approved a package of measures aimed at strengthening child protection online, which must likewise be approved by parliament.

The proposals include tighter restrictions on minors’ access to websites containing pornography and measures designed to speed up the removal of illegal online material.

Under the plans, operators of adult-content websites would be required to verify users’ ages anonymously, without collecting browser data or personal information.

(dpa/NAN)