(Singapore, 1st) Starting January next year, all secondary school students in Singapore will not be allowed to use smartphones and smartwatches on campus, not only during class time, but also during breaks and after school while participating in co-curricular activities, enrichment classes, or remedial lessons.
According to Lianhe Zaobao, students will be required to place their smartphones and smartwatches in lockers or other designated storage spaces, such as their school bags, while at school. If necessary, schools will permit students to use their smartphones.
Currently, secondary schools only prohibit the use of smartphones and smartwatches during class time.
In addition, starting from January next year, the Ministry of Education will adjust the settings on the Device Management Application (DMA) for personal learning devices used by secondary students, bringing forward the automatic shutdown time from 11:00 pm to 10:30 pm. This is to encourage students to sleep earlier and better manage their use of electronic devices before bedtime.
The Ministry of Education issued a statement on Sunday (30th), announcing stricter guidelines on the use of smartphones and smartwatches by secondary school students on campus, in an effort to encourage students to cultivate good digital habits, engage in meaningful face-to-face interactions with their peers outside of class, and develop a healthy lifestyle.
Implementing stricter management policies on the use of smartphones and smartwatches for secondary students is part of the "Thriving SG Initiative" jointly launched by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Social and Family Development in January this year. Previously, the Ministry of Education had issued guidelines to primary and secondary schools regarding the use of smartphones and smartwatches.
In response to Lianhe Zaobao, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Education said that primary students are already not allowed to use smartphones or smartwatches while at school; these devices must be kept in their school bags or in a designated storage space, including during breaks and after-school learning activities.
The spokesperson pointed out that some secondary schools that previously emulated primary schools by tightening their rules have observed that students are more focused and more likely to engage in face-to-face interactions with their peers after class.
"To encourage secondary students to develop healthier screen usage habits and promote physical and mental well-being, all secondary schools will implement this stricter set of guidelines regarding the use of smartphones and smartwatches starting next year."
As for students in junior colleges or upper-level students at Millennia Institute, the spokesperson said that the Ministry of Education believes they should have sufficient self-discipline and self-management skills to use smartphones and smartwatches responsibly on campus.