Ho Chi Minh City seeks to impose partial smartphone ban on students, even during breaks

Students would only be allowed to use phones during classes where teachers require phone use for academic purposes.

The department on Thursday released a statement on director Nguyen Van Hieu’s conclusions at a recent meeting.

He emphasized the need to organize meaningful activities during breaks to foster student bonding and encourage physical activities. 

These initiatives are expected to be implemented in the 2025–26 school year.

Hieu also requested training programs for teachers who will be in charge of supporting and advising students during the summer of 2025.

He directed the review of schools’ restrooms.

Schools across the city are to continue establishing internal control boards, which will include parent representatives to help oversee hygiene practices, food safety in school canteens, and other operational matters.

The department is considering pilot programs at selected schools to eliminate the use of plastic bags, moving toward a plastic-free campus environment.

The department will further review and expand the criteria for 'happy schools' and ensure that all educational institutions citywide implement these criteria.

It plans to hold conferences and workshops in summer 2025 to disseminate the criteria to teachers at all levels.

Efforts will continue to build 'Ho Chi Minh cultural spaces' in all schools and to organize monthly storytelling sessions about President Ho Chi Minh’s exemplary life, ethics, and style.

In the 2024–25 school year, some middle and high schools in the city had already implemented policies banning phone use on campus.

Many schools provided in-class phone lockers where students were required to submit their devices to the class monitor upon entering. 

Phones were returned only after school hours so students could use them for transportation arrangements.

The policy has received widespread support from parents, many of whom believe that unrestricted phone use in schools distracts students from their academic responsibilities.