The measure now moves to the Lower House.
Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara said in a recent interview that the use of smartphones and tablets is to be banned in Italian classrooms, even for teaching purposes.
The crackdown concerns kindergarten, primary and lower secondary schools, and extends an already existing ban on the non-academic use of smart devices, introduced in 2007, that is not always enforced.
Valditara told Il Foglio the decision has been taken both for educational reasons and because the use of smartphones and tablets can often create tension between students and teachers, sometimes also leading to acts of aggression against school staff.
“Defending the teaching staff means defending the principle of delegation and authority that is the lintel not only of the school system but also of the democratic system,” said the minister.
Last year, the UN’s educational, cultural and scientific agency UNESCO recommended that smartphones be banned from schools around the world on grounds they distract students and have a negative impact on learning outcomes.
ANSA
