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MOE Bans Smartphones During ALL Secondary School Hours Starting 2026

 




The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced on Sunday, November 30, 2025, a significant tightening of screen use guidelines for secondary school students, which will see the use of smartphones and smartwatches prohibited during all school hours starting from January 2026.

Enhanced Screen Use Guidelines

The new rules expand upon the current guidelines, which only prohibit device use during lesson time:

  • Total Ban Scope: From 2026, the ban will be extended to include all non-lesson time, such as recess, co-curricular activities (CCAs), supplementary, enrichment, and remedial lessons.

  • Device Storage: During all school hours, students' devices must be kept in designated storage areas (e.g., lockers) or school bags.

  • Exceptions: MOE noted that "Where necessary, schools may allow students to use smartphones by exception."

  • Primary School Alignment: These stricter guidelines are already in place for primary school students under the Grow Well SG national health promotion strategy, launched in January 2025.

Rationale and Positive Outcomes

The enhanced measures are part of the broader Grow Well SG strategy—a joint effort by MOE, the Ministry of Health (MOH), and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)—to improve student well-being in the digital age.

  • Underlying Concern: A survey earlier this year found that many children exceeded MOH's recommended daily screen time limits. MOE's press release noted that excessive screen time can displace important activities like sleep, physical activity, and social interactions.

  • Positive Trials: MOE cited that some secondary schools that voluntarily adopted these tighter guidelines saw positive outcomes, including improved student well-being, enhanced focus, and more physical interaction during breaks.

  • Disciplinary Approach: MOE emphasized that schools retain autonomy on discipline but typically focus on educative processes, working with students and parents to manage misuse. Disciplinary measures will be used where necessary to reinforce consequences.

Digital Habits and Home Partnership

MOE also announced a change to the settings on Personal Learning Devices (PLDs) to foster healthier habits outside of school:

  • PLD Sleep Hours: The default Device Management Application (DMA) sleep hours for PLDs will be brought forward from the current 11:00 pm to 10:30 pm, effective from January 2026, to "nudge them to sleep earlier."

  • Junior Colleges/MI: Students in junior colleges and Millennia Institute are expected to have sufficient self-management skills, and while they may use devices outside lessons, use during lessons still requires explicit teacher permission.

  • Parental Role: Minister of State for Education Jasmin Lau urged parents to continue "partnering with us to guide our children toward a balanced and thoughtful use of technology," highlighting the importance of the school-home partnership in reinforcing healthy habits.

Netizen Feedback

Initial public feedback was mixed:

  • Negative: One netizen questioned the seriousness of current in-class phone use and wondered if the policy might hinder the uncovering of bullying cases that rely on video evidence.

  • Positive: Another netizen expressed support, recalling stricter confiscation rules for items like pagers and Discman during their school days, questioning why phones should be treated differently.

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Location: Singapore

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