Sweden is gearing up to impose a nationwide mobile phone ban in schools and after-school clubs starting autumn 2026. Children aged 7 to 16 will have their phones collected at the start of the day and held until school ends. The measure is part of a broader reform package: Sweden also plans to change the curriculum, grading systems, and teacher training.
The government says this is the biggest education reform in over 30 years, coupled with major budget investments (whaaaat? not budget cuts???). Their argument: current phone usage undermines learning environments, concentration, and overall study conditions.
It’s refreshing to see a government drilling into the nitty-gritty of its education system. Not just policy-level slogans (and budget cuts), but specifics: phones, but also what is taught, how teachers are evaluated, how students are assessed.
If one accepts that smartphones and social media are harmful, e.g. distractions, mental health risks, fostering comparison, etc., then maybe incremental bans like this are just a first step. Why stop there? Could we imagine a policy where owning or operating a smartphone (or using social media) requires a licence, much like for driving or buying certain regulated items? Would that make sense, or is it overreach?
On one hand, licensing would force society to take responsibility: what training do people get about digital literacy, mental health, privacy, social media harms? On the other hand, it raises questions: who grants the licences, what criteria, how enforceable? Would it stifle freedom or exacerbate inequalities (if some can’t afford the “licence” or meet requirements)?
Still, Sweden’s government is at least showing willingness to imagine what school can look like without omnipresent screens—not just tinkering around the edges. That kind of seriousness is rare, and whether you agree or not, it’s compelling to see.
I think, therefore IB 
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