Research shows advance in classrooms with prohibition of cell phones

A research conducted by the Mixed Parliamentary Front of Education, in partnership with Equity.info, initiative of the Lemann Center at Stanford Graduate School of Educationrevealed that 83% of Brazilian students have been paying more attention to classes after restricting the use of cell phones in classrooms.

The perception of positive impact is higher in the early years of elementary school I, with 88% claiming to pay more attention in class. In high school, 70% said they realized changes for the better without mobile phones.

The study also shows that 77% of managers and 65% of teachers reported decreased bullying virtual within schools. Among students, however, only 41% said they felt this change, suggesting that part of the conflicts may not be reported by students or perceived by teachers and school managers.

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Boredom grows

According to the survey data, 44% of the students said they felt more bored during the breaks and the recess. These numbers are higher among elementary school students I (47%) and the morning (46%). In addition, 49% of teachers reported an increase in anxiety among students with the absence of mobile phone use.

Regarding students’ behavior, the Northeast appears as a positive highlight, representing 87% of the advances. The Midwest and the Southeast are the regions with the lowest rate of improvement in the school environment, with 82% indicating that the effectiveness of measures tends to vary second regional factors.

“Protecting our students from mobile phone use in the classroom is to ensure a healthier and more learning environment. The result we see today is the confirmation that education needs to be a priority, with policies that take care of the present and prepare the future of our young people,” said the president of the Mixed Parliamentary Front, Deputy Rafael Brito.

The president of Equity.info, Claudia Costin, stressed that the research shows positive advances in the focus and attention of students, but issues such as boredom, anxiety and bullyingstill very present among students, indicate that there are still challenges to be faced.

“There was a significant drop in bullying Virtual in the view of managers, but it is crucial to hear students who still feel the problem. That is, the conclusion is that the restriction was positive, but alone is not enough: schools need to create interaction alternatives and specific strategies for each age, “he says.

Strategies

According to the coordinator of equity.info and teacher of Stanford Graduate School of Educationresponsible for the research, Guilherme Lichand, the data reinforces the need for differentiated strategies by age and school network, as well as the development of pedagogical practices that keep the students engaged and promote their well-being even without their cell phone in the classroom.

“The results confirm that the regulation of mobile phone use has brought important gains for learning. More than limiting the use of cell phone, the law makes room to rethink how the school connects with students. The next step is to ensure that the law is effective at all stages, respecting the particularities of each school context. emphasizes.

The law that prohibits the use of mobile phones within schools by students was sanctioned in January 2025 after approval in the National Congress.

The study listened to 2,840 students, 348 teachers and 201 managers in municipal, state and private public schools from all regions of the country, between May and July 2025.