A ban on the use of cell phones has been in effect in elementary schools throughout Slovakia for nearly two years. The Ministry of Education has published the initial findings of a study on how this has affected learning. In short, according to school principals, the impact has been mostly positive.
The ban took effect in January 2025. Its goal is to improve students’ concentration and encourage face-to-face communication. This decision affects everyone whose children attend Slovak schools. Now, the first data is available on whether these expectations have been met.
What did the study show?
The study was conducted by the Faculty of Education at Comenius University in Bratislava, which surveyed 1,075 schools. In the first phase, school principals completed the questionnaire, and their responses show a positive trend:
- 77% of principals reported that students’ attention and concentration in class had improved.
- 70% noted that relationships among students had improved.
- 71.5% reported an improvement in overall discipline in schools.
As Education Minister Tomasz Drucker noted, these figures confirm that “fewer cell phones in schools mean more attention and better relationships.” At the same time, about 80% of the schools surveyed had their own rules regarding cell phones even before the nationwide ban was introduced.
This is only the first phase of the study, which is based on the opinions of school administrators. The subsequent phases will continue through 2028—they will include surveys of teachers and students themselves to get the full picture. Comprehensive results are expected in two years.
What exactly are the rules?
The ban is not absolute and varies depending on the students’ age. The main rules, effective starting in 2025, are as follows:
- Grades 1–3: A complete ban on the use of cell phones, smartwatches, and other similar devices. This applies not only during class but also during breaks.
- Grades 4–9: The use of phones is prohibited by default. A student may use the device only with the teacher’s permission, for example, for educational purposes.
- School Regulations: Each school has the right to specify these rules in its internal regulations (školský poriadok).
The goal of these restrictions is not to completely exclude technology from school life, but to ensure its use is mindful and controlled. Slovakia has joined countries such as France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, which previously introduced similar measures based on UNESCO recommendations.
Next up: social media
The success of the experiment with cell phones has prompted the government to take the next step—regulating children’s access to social media. A survey showed that 93% of school principals support the idea of banning social media for children under 15, as they consider it a source of many school-related problems.
In August 2026, the government had already approved a bill proposing to set the age limit for registering on social media at 16. However, according to the latest information, the implementation of this regulation has been temporarily postponed due to the need to align it with European legislation. The Ministry of Education assures that it has not abandoned the idea and plans to resume consideration of the bill by the end of the year.
