DSEDJ to restrict mobile phone use in all schools starting next academic year

The director of the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), Kong Chi Meng, announced late last week that the DSEDJ is developing new guidelines aimed at implementing restrictions on the use of mobile phones in all local schools.

According to Kong’s statements to the Chinese-language channel of the public radio broadcaster, on the sidelines of an event at the Instituto Salesiano (Salesian School), the new guidelines will be implemented in the upcoming school year.

“The new guidelines will be implemented in the 2025–26 school year to regulate the use of mobile devices by students, reduce distractions during lessons, and combat the excessive use of these electronic devices in the classroom,” Kong was quoted as saying.

He also noted that the measure follows a pilot program implemented by the DSEDJ with some schools, which has received positive feedback.

Although the rules are new and applicable to all institutions, Kong noted that they will not bring a significant change to school communities, as some 50 schools are already implementing restrictions on the use of mobile phones and other electronic devices during class time.

They have installed specific lockers for storing students’ mobile phones, hinting that this is likely the main point of the new guidelines.

Despite the rules being general and applicable to all institutions, the DSEDJ director did not rule out the possibility of schools adapting the measures individually according to their specific needs.

In March, Leong I On, chief of the Division of Secondary Education at the DSEDJ, had already stated during the TDM Chinese radio program Macau Forum that new guidelines were being prepared and would be implemented in the upcoming school year.

In response to a previous inquiry from the Times on the same topic, the DSEDJ said, “Schools are also reminded to refer to the health authority’s recommendations concerning daily screen time on electronic devices for different age groups, [as well as] to guide students to foster the right attitude and proper habits in using the internet and mobile phones, while striking a balance between schoolwork and leisure time.”

Existing guidelines state that students can use the internet for research for an average of one hour daily and recommend a 20-minute break after using electronic devices.