Portugal has approved a decree-law that prohibits students aged six to twelve from using smartphones on school premises, turning a 2024/25 recommendation into a legal requirement from the start of the 2025/26 academic year. Education, Science and Innovation Minister Fernando Alexandre said the measure applies to both public and private institutions and is backed by evidence of the devices’ negative impact on behaviour and learning. Under the new rules, schools teaching 12- to 15-year-olds must introduce policies that strongly discourage phone use, while secondary schools are urged to draft responsible-use guidelines in consultation with students. Exemptions will be allowed for health reasons or for pupils who need translation assistance. The government is also revising the citizenship curriculum as part of a broader package of education reforms. The decision follows a nationwide survey of 809 school directors that found bullying dropped by 59% in classes where phones were banned, with marked declines in fights and indiscipline across more than half the schools surveyed. Officials say the mandatory ban aims to improve socialisation, reduce violence and bolster academic performance. Portugal joins a widening global push to curb phones in classrooms. In the United States, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey this week endorsed a bill that would bar devices during lessons, while South Korea’s parliament is advancing legislation to limit smartphone use at school from March next year.