Mobiles barred in French schools

CHILDREN returning to school in France this week will be forced to do so without their mobile phones.

The French government passed a law in July banning phone use in all primary and middle schools for the entire day, including during breaks – with exceptions in cases of emergency and for disabled children.

The ban, a campaign pledge of President Emmanuel Macron, also banishes tablets and smart watches.

High schools, taking pupils aged 15 to 18, will also be allowed to initiate partial or total bans as they reopen after the summer break, though they will not be obligatory. Proponents say the law, which has prompted vigorous debate, will reduce distraction in the classroom, combat bullying and encourage children to be more active during breaks.

But critics have dismissed it as a PR stunt, arguing the law will be impossible to enforce and that schools will struggle to find storage space for phones.