North Rhine-Westphalia’s Education Minister, Dorothee Feller, has signaled a shift in policy regarding mobile phone use in secondary schools. Addressing concerns surrounding the ongoing debate, Feller emphasized that the current discussion focuses specifically on private mobile phone usage within the school environment.
While acknowledging the necessity of restricting phone use in primary schools, Feller supports differentiated approaches for older students. She stated that teachers retain the authority to integrate mobile devices purposefully within classroom lessons. A core justification for allowing controlled usage stems from the need to educate students about online safety, particularly concerning issues like cyber grooming. Feller argued that denying students the opportunity to discuss and understand online risks would hinder their development of crucial media literacy skills.
Minister Feller underscored that challenges related to social media, excessive phone usage and youth protection extend beyond the school setting. She highlighted the significant amount of time students spend outside of school, estimating an average of 110 waking hours per week, with only 28 spent in the classroom. Consequently, she suggested that the roots of these problems often lie within broader societal influences and require a multifaceted solution encompassing family, community and digital literacy education.