Mexico Prepares Cellphone Restrictions in Schools

Chetumal, Quintana Roo — Mexico’s education secretary, Mario Delgado Carrillo, said the federal government is preparing new rules to restrict cellphone use in elementary and middle schools, citing concerns about classroom distractions and students’ mental health.

Speaking at the regional South-Southeast forum Life Before the Screen: The Impact of Digital Devices on Mexican Children, Adolescents and Youth, Delgado said an official consultation of more than 500,000 teachers found that 80% support binding guidelines to limit mobile devices on school grounds.

“There must be a restriction on cellphone access in elementary and middle schools because we have to protect our children,” Delgado said. He added that the final rules are being developed in coordination with education authorities across the country, teachers and specialists.

Delgado cited international studies warning about the effects of prolonged smartphone use at an early age, including:

• Loss of attention: Students have recurring difficulty staying focused during class.
• Poor reading performance: Heavy exposure to short audiovisual content hampers the ability to process and understand longer texts.
• Social isolation: Algorithms on digital platforms encourage addictive behavior.

Because minors are still developing emotionally and cognitively, Delgado said, regulating technology in schools should be treated as a priority matter of public interest.