This school year kicks off with a buzz… but not the kind coming from cellphones. As students head back to class, one major change awaits — phones are staying out of sight and out of use.
Starting this fall, a new province-wide rule bans students from using cellphones and other personal devices during the entire school day, including breaks and lunchtime. The goal, according to Quebec’s education ministry, is to support learning, focus, and social skills.
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The ban applies to:
These devices are not allowed anywhere on school property — including classrooms, hallways, cafeterias, bathrooms, libraries, outdoor areas, and sports fields — from the first bell to the last.
Phones brought to school must be locked in lockers and cannot be kept in students’ pockets or backpacks. The only exceptions are for medical reasons, with arrangements made through the school administration.
Joe Ortona, chairman of the English Montreal School Board, said the change won’t be a major adjustment for many schools in his network.
“Well it’s something that was talked about for quite some time last year when the government made this announcement. You know, we had already banned cell phones in school for over a decade. Each school had their own kind of different rules but it was something that was always regulated within our system. So we’re pretty used to it and don’t think it’s going to be such a big adjustment for us,” Ortona said.
When asked about reactions from students and parents, he added:
“Well there’s always a bit of a concern, right, when there’s changes, how’s it going to work… But ultimately, you know, we’ve been there before so we’re quite comfortable with that. We’re not too concerned about it because in the schools where we had these rules in place, you know, they were very well respected and we didn’t have any major issues.”
Schools will follow a progressive approach. It could start with a verbal warning, followed by confiscation of the device. If the issue continues, the student may have to leave their device at home for a set period. Other consequences may be applied based on the school’s code of conduct.
In emergencies, students can use a school phone or ask a staff member for help. Parents can also contact the school to pass on urgent messages.
Special arrangements can be made for students who need devices for medical reasons, such as managing diabetes.
The education ministry encourages parents to support the new rule by setting clear limits for screen use at home and making family agreements. This includes:
Parents can also use tools like pausetonecran.com for support.
Katherine Korakakis, president of the English Parents’ Committee Association of Quebec, believes the ban doesn’t go far enough in addressing phone addiction.
“What I can tell you is that there’s already phones that are not allowed in classrooms. It’s been years already,” she said. “This, I want to say it’s more posturing than anything… under the guise of it’s going to help children with addiction without actually tackling the subject.”
She said more education is needed:
“So what we’ve been asking for… is that it’s taught in schools. The way that we teach about drug awareness in schools, this should be also taught because the phone is an addiction, but it’s also a very powerful tool… Phones are not going to go anywhere.”
Korakakis also raised concerns for students who travel long distances or need phones for safety:
“So parents are generally in favor of, like, taking away the distraction. And as students, too. However, this, like, overarching ban… becomes a safety issue… It just becomes nonsensical, and it seems a little bit of, like, the show to be like, oh, they’re banned everywhere, but they’re already banned.”
The government says this is not the end of digital tools in schools. Platforms like Teams and school email will still be used — but only on school-approved devices during class time.
Personal earbuds or headphones are no longer allowed, even for concentration, unless officially part of a student’s individual education plan.
In some cases, teachers may get permission from their principal to allow use of personal devices for specific lessons, with clear guidelines.
Teachers and school staff are expected to model the same behaviour — limiting their own phone use in front of students and promoting a healthy, screen-free environment.
The goal, according to the ministry, is not constant policing, but building a shared culture of presence and digital balance.
