Province-Wide Ban on Cellphones in Classrooms

As students return to school, significant policy changes are being implemented to address learning disruptions exacerbated by the pandemic. Ontario has introduced a province-wide cellphone ban, prohibiting mobile device use for kindergarten to Grade 6 throughout the school day, while students in Grades 7-12 must keep devices silent and out of view. Education Minister Jill Dunlop emphasized this initiative as a 'culture change' aimed at enhancing focus on learning. Concurrently, Calgary's public schools are grappling with record enrolment, prompting the introduction of cellphone restrictions alongside efforts to accommodate 8,050 new students by adding modular classrooms. The Calgary Board of Education is working with the provincial government to secure additional funding and resources to manage this surge in student numbers effectively. Both regions are also addressing vaping and tobacco use in schools, with Ontario allocating $30 million for vape detection technology.