Latvia's Ban On Cell Phones In Schools Comes Into Force

• 1.06.2026, 12:31

For students in grades pre-K through 9th grade.

On June 1, amendments to the Education Law will come into force in Latvia, expanding the ban on the use of cell phones in schools. Now the restrictions will apply to pupils from the 1st to the 9th grade inclusively, except for cases when the teacher allows the use of gadgets in the learning process.

It is reported by Delfi.

The actual application of the norm will begin after the end of the school year - in three months, because now schoolchildren have started summer vacation.

The ban on the use of phones in Latvian schools previously applied only to pupils e Now they have decided to extend it to the entire basic school.

The chairman of the parliamentary commission for education, culture and science Agita Zariņa-Sture, who supervised the promotion of the initiative, said that the changes should set a unified approach to restricting the use of smartphones in the learning environment. She said:

"Studies show that even when turned off, the presence of a personal cell phone can negatively affect a person's cognitive abilities, as well as increase the risk of digital emotional abuse."

She added that the aim of the reform is to help children better concentrate on their studies and reduce the impact of distractions during lessons.