Lawmakers in Finland have passed an education bill giving teachers the power to remove students’ mobile phones and restrict their usage during the school day. The new regulations come after questions were raised over the devices’ negative effect on both wellbeing and learning standards.
Other countries have already legislated on the issue, such as France, where a “digital pause” is being trialled, and Norway, where age restrictions have been brought in. Nearby Denmark, which recently banned students at school from using phones entirely, said the move would help to prevent places of education being “colonised by digital platforms”.
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— Thomas MORE (@ThomaMore) May 1, 2025
Finland is set to limit smartphone use in schools.
➔ The new rule aims to reduce distractions in class, sparking mixed reactions.
➔ Some students welcome the change; others argue it shows a lack of trust in pupils. #Finland #Education #SmartphonesInSchool #News pic.twitter.com/CgK9AbdUPB
Phones still allowed under certain conditions
But Finland’s new policy, set to come into effect when the country’s academic year starts again on 1 August 2025, does not go quite as far as the Danes. Under the new rules, Finnish students will still be allowed to have a mobile phone at school with them however they will only be permitted to use the devices under specific conditions: for learning purposes or for health and safety reasons. That means teachers are being given the final say as to whether a phone should be in sight or in use. They can also confiscate devices that they think are being misused.
The idea is to retain scope for electronic devices to play a part in children’s educations, in a positive way, while gaining some control over the impact of mobile phones on children’s mental health and focus levels. At the end of 2024, Finland´s Education Minister Anders Adlercreutz, made a point of recognising that electronic devices can also be a force for good in terms of student engagement and support digital education.
But by spring 2025, responding to the bill’s passage, he said that putting phones aside presents “better opportunities for meaningful interaction” and emphasised that “School is not just a place for acquiring knowledge. It’s also a place where social skills are developed. With eyes fixed on screens, it becomes harder to interact with others. That’s why we want to give students better opportunities for meaningful interaction during the school day.”
Basicly every Finnish child has a smartphone.
— Kaarina Jaakkola 🇪🇺🇫🇮 🦋🌻 (@JaakkolaKaarina) May 1, 2025
Using them at school made the lessons very restless. Phones were used for playing, chatting, bullying.
Mocking teachers and other Students.
Etc.
Clarity and trust
Meanwhile, reactions to the parliamentary vote have been mixed. One headteacher told Euronews that the legislation provides clarity for schools, enabling them to have “uniform rules” and avoid “variability”. Some students agree with the restrictions, while others complain that the approach shows a lack of trust in young people.
The Finnish Department of Education and Culture has been tasked with researching the impact of the new restrictions both in Finland and abroad and is set to report back before 2026, when further action might be taken.
