From the next school year, all children up to grade 6 will be prohibited from using mobile phones in schools. Exceptions will be made when mobile phones are required by the teacher as part of the teaching process, according to amendments to the Education Law passed by the Saeima on Thursday, 10 October. The law applies to students in preschool and primary school, covering Years 1 to 6 inclusive.
“These amendments are necessary as a clear signal to the founders of educational institutions to limit the purposeless use of mobile phones, as research shows that the presence of personal mobile phones (also switched off) negatively affects the cognitive abilities of a person, as well as increases the risk of digital emotional violence," Agita Zariņa-Stūre, Chair of the Education, Culture and Science Committee responsible for the advancement of the draft law in the Saeima, points out.
According to the amendments, when implementing the educational programme, along with the associated training and developmental activities, the educational institution shall establish the conditions and procedures for the use of technical equipment (including information and communication technologies, devices, robotics components, and software).
The ban on the use of mobile phones for all students up to grade 6 in all schools will come into effect on 31 May 2025. By this date, each school will also be required to establish its internal regulations regarding the use of mobile phones.
The amendments will also permit schools to search students' belongings in situations where there is a threat to the safety, health, or life of individuals. The head of the educational institution, or an authorised representative, will have the authority to request that the students present and allow the examination of their personal belongings, as well as to restrict the students’ movement if there is a danger to the safety, health, or life of students, staff, or others. The Cabinet of Ministers will be required to establish the relevant procedures by 31 January 2025.
The President of Latvia has submitted a legislative initiative on the search of students' property. Latvia has been unsettled by several incidents where conflicts have arisen in what should be a safe environment—educational institutions—resulting in harm to both children and adults. The causes of these situations include students bringing dangerous items to school, as well as a lack of proper cooperation between parents and the educational institution. As a result, schools have not had access to all the necessary information to ensure the educational process is carried out in a manner appropriate to the student’s health condition, according to the explanatory note accompanying the draft law.
Preventing violence and other safety risks is in the best interest of all students; therefore, any doubts about the right of educational institutions to take immediate action when there are reasonable suspicions of safety threats must be eliminated, states the explanatory note.
Currently, the Education Law already requires parents to provide schools with essential information about their child, although this obligation is not always adhered to in practice. The law will reinforce the requirement for parents to inform the school in writing about their child's health condition and any other circumstances that may significantly impact the educational process or affect those involved. This applies both when enrolling a child in an educational institution and following any changes in circumstances.
Saeima Press Service