Overview
- The Education Ministry confirmed that children will be prohibited from using mobile phones on primary school premises beginning Feb. 2, 2026.
- Use of devices will be permitted only in designated lessons when approved by educational staff for learning purposes.
- The policy seeks to build social and emotional skills, improve classroom climate, and boost focus by reducing distractions.
- Implementation will include school-based educational programs and communication with parents to encourage balanced phone use and limit exposure to inappropriate content.
- Until now, phone rules were set by individual schools, with Tel Aviv already enforcing a citywide ban, as Israel joins a growing global move toward school smartphone restrictions noted by UNESCO.