New Zealand to Ban Mobile Phones in Schools Amid Literacy Crisis

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's controversial first week in office includes a plan to improve literacy rates by banning phones in schools.

New Zealand's conservative Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, has announced a ban on mobile phones in schools across the country.
The move is aimed at addressing the country's 'literacy crisis', with more than a third of 15-year-olds found to be barely able to read or write.
The policy, which is set to be implemented within Luxon's first 100 days in office, has been trialed with mixed results in the United States, United Kingdom, and France.
Luxon's government, which was sworn in just this week, has already faced controversy, with criticism over the scrapping of tobacco control measures and the restarting of offshore oil and gas exploration.
The phone ban is part of a broader 100-day plan by Luxon's government, which also includes mandatory daily reading, writing, and maths for students.