Sask. K-12 cell phone ban aims to help students ‘reach their potential’

The Government of Saskatchewan is taking new steps to keep students focused on their studies, rather than their phones.

Starting in the 2024-25 school year, cell phones will not be permitted in K-12 classrooms in the province during class time, the Ministry of Education announced on Tuesday.

Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill said the goal is to reduce distractions and keep students focused during class time.

“Technology has its place, but too often, cell phones are taking students’ attention away from what they should be learning,” Cockrill said in a statement. “This new policy will allow students to be more engaged with their teachers and focused on learning the skills and knowledge they need to reach their potential.”

In an emailed statement, opposition education critic Matt Love agreed that cell phones were an issue in classrooms, but said lack of funding is the primary issue in schools.

“Saskatchewan used to have the best funded schools in the country but under Scott Moe, we’re now last,” the statement read. “It’s time to properly fund our classrooms and get Saskatchewan out of last place in education.”

Cockrill said the specific tactics to prevent cell phone use will be up to the individual schools, as the measure is a policy directive by the ministry and not a legislative change.

“From the teachers that I heard from directly on this: it’s really hard to enforce a rule when another teacher down the hall or another teacher next door to you isn’t enforcing the same rule,” he said to reporters on Tuesday.

Under the new policy, high school teachers can seek an exemption to allow students to use cell phones “for a specific instructional purpose.” School divisions’ procedures also include exemptions for students that use mobile devices to accommodate medical or learning needs, the ministry added.

“Limitations of cell phones in our schools will reduce the amount of distractions in our classrooms which will allow our staff to focus on educating our students,” said Bernie Howe, chair of the Prairie Spirit Board of Education, quoted in the ministry’s release.

“It’s important to take steps like these that work to improve our students’ mental well-being and academic success.”

In June, Premier Scott Moe said Saskatchewan was taking a close look at Alberta’s policy on cell phones in classrooms, and was considering following suit.

According to the provincial government, the change brings Saskatchewan into line with several other jurisdictions around the country.