An expert commission has recommended banning the private use of mobile phones in German schools nationwide during lessons and breaks for all pupils up to seventh grade, or age 12-13, according to the panel's published recommendations.
The recommendation comes from the expert commission on "Child and Youth Protection in the Digital World," which said the ban should be enshrined uniformly in all school laws across the country.
From eighth grade onwards, schools would be required to develop binding usage guidelines together with their pupils, the commission said on Wednesday.
The report by the expert commission, appointed by Family Minister Karin Prien, said that the private use of digital devices in class was a significant distraction, made it harder to maintain a focused learning environment and restricted social interaction during breaks.
Where bullying existed, mobile phone use could exacerbate the problem, the commission said. It also noted that regulations varied considerably between the federal states and school types.
If the proposed measures were introduced, pupils would learn in a more focused way, the commission predicted. During breaks, they would have time and space for personal interaction, it added.
Access to digital learning tools would be maintained, the commission said.
Prien appointed the commission in September. The experts have now drawn up a total of 56 recommendations, which are intended to enable children and young people to engage with digital media while at the same time protecting them from its dangers.
