Currently, phones are prohibited during lesson time, while the enhanced rules expand the ban to cover non-lesson periods such as recess, co-curricular activities and enrichment lessons.
“Screen use among students has been shown to displace important activities such as sleep, physical activity and social interactions with friends and family, and is linked to poorer holistic well-being,” the ministry said.
“Our collective goal is to create a school environment that prioritises students’ learning and enhances their engagement, fostering healthier habits on screen use and better well-being for all students,” it continued.
Singapore is not the only country implementing new rules around child access to social media. A senior official said last month that Malaysia plans to ban social media accounts for children under 16 starting next year to protect them from online harm, joining a similar crackdown in Australia.
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