Overview

• Lawmakers in the Province of Buenos Aires approved a measure prohibiting the free use of cellphones and other screen devices by primary students during class.
• The legislation was sponsored by Senators Emmanuel Santalla and Lorena Mandagarán, who framed it as a step to protect attention and improve learning.
• Use of devices will be permitted only when explicitly authorized by teachers for pedagogical purposes, according to the text approved.
• Supporters cite PISA 2024 reports of high device-driven distraction and Aprender 2024 findings of weak performance, including 54% of provincial students reporting distraction.
• Buenos Aires becomes the fourth Argentine jurisdiction with such restrictions, joining CABA, Neuquén and Salta, with implementation details and enforcement protocols still to be set.