Cellphones will be off limits in all Saskatchewan classrooms as of this fall, the province has announced.
The new policy will apply to all schools in the province, impacting students from kindergarten through Grade 12.
“Technology has its place, but too often, [cellphones] are taking students’ attention away from what they should be learning,” Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill said in an Aug. 6
press release.
“This new policy will allow students to be more engaged with their teachers and focused on learning the skills and knowledge they need to reach their potential.”
Teachers can request an exemption for students in Grades 9 to 12 if cellphones are needed for instructional purposes, the government said. Exemptions will also be granted for students who need their mobile devices for medical or specific learning needs.
Other Provincial Policies
Saskatchewan’s cellphone ban follows similar plans in other provinces to ban or restrict cellphone use by students during the school day.Ontario was the first province to introduce a cellphone
ban for schools in 2022, with cellphones only permitted in class for education, health, and medical purposes, as well as to support special education needs. Then-Education Minister Stephen Lecce
announced even stronger measures in April of 2024.
As of this fall, students up to Grade 6 will be required to keep cellphones on silent and out of sight for the whole school day, unless they are given permission to use it. Students in Grades 7 to 12 will not be allowed to use phones unless they have been given permission by a teacher.
Those who do not comply with the policy will be asked to surrender their phones, an April 28 memo from the Ontario government said. If a student does not hand in their device when asked, they will be sent to the principal’s office and could face suspension.
Leece said the new measures will ensure compliance and consistency across the province.
Quebec put a ban in place in December 2023 that took
effect in January of this year. It applies to both elementary and secondary schools. As part of the provincial policy, teachers are permitted to let students use cellphones for teaching purposes.
Alberta is also cracking down on cellphone use. Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides
announced plans in June to restrict phones in classrooms as of this fall. He said that while cellphones help with learning, they can also be a distraction and lead to cyberbullying.
During class time, devices must be turned off and stored out of sight, Nicolaides said, adding that exceptions will be given to students who need cellphones for health reasons, such as monitoring blood sugar levels.
School internet networks will also have to limit access to social media, he said.
Prior to the change, Alberta had permitted school boards to set cellphone rules.
British Columbia
announced in January it planned to restrict cellphones in schools by the start of the 2024-2025 year. Premier David Eby said the province would work with school districts to ensure schools have policies in place to restrict students’ classroom cellphone use as of this fall.
The Canadian Press and Isaac Teo contributed to this article.
