France will ban the use of mobile phones in schools.

The French Ministry of Education has just announced it will ban the use of mobile phones in primary and secondary schools nationwide, calling it a "public health" issue.

“Sometimes, you need a phone for academic reasons or for emergencies. However, its use must be controlled in some way,” Jean Michel Blanquer, France’s Minister of Education, told RTL radio.

The man said the ban would take effect from the next school year (September 2018). Under the new ban, students will be allowed to bring phones to school but will not be permitted to use them, even during breaks. This measure applies to all students aged 6-15.

Mr. Blanquer argued that the ban also sends a "public health message to families. It would be good if children didn't use phones regularly, or even look at smart devices, before the age of 7."

However, the French Federation of Principals expressed skepticism about the ban. Philippe Vincent, Deputy Secretary-General of the French Federation of Principals, emphasized that the new announcement from the French Ministry of Education leaves everyone unclear about how it should be handled and implemented.

Outside a school in downtown Paris, students were also bewildered by the new ban. “I don’t understand how it’s going to work. Who will take the phones? Where will they put them? How will we get them back?” said a 13-year-old boy.

At another school, 12-year-old Mathilde stated: “It’s ridiculous. We don’t use our phones in class or during breaks, so what’s the problem? If someone is caught using their phone in the bathroom or at lunchtime, the phone gets confiscated and they get into trouble.”

Meanwhile, Sabine, a parent, commented: "This might be a good idea when the kids are at school, but they can't forbid them from bringing phones to class. My daughter has to go to school on her own. So, I want her to bring her phone so I can have peace of mind."

The woman added that instead of banning it, perhaps a signal blocking device could be installed in the school?

In addition to the new ban, Mr. Blanquer also suggested that schools install more lockers for phones, even though many schools in the city center have very few such rooms.

However, according to Vincent's (a parent's) estimate, this move would cost the government a lot of money.

"Are we turning schools into giant lockers? By my calculations, 5,300 public schools with an average of 500 students per class would need about 3 million lockers," this person said.

In addition, parent associations argue that any ban would create a major logistical problem.

“How will schools sort the phones? And how will they ensure that they are returned to their owners by the end of the school year?” asked Gerard Pommier, head of the Federation of Parents in Public Schools.

Education officials are exploring how to enforce a ban on mobile phones.

"During ministerial meetings, we put our phones in a locker before entering the room. In my opinion, this can be done with any group of people, including classrooms," the French education minister emphasized.

This man also supports the adoption of school uniforms but believes it doesn't need to be implemented nationwide.

In addition, he announced that every school needs a choir by January 2019. According to Le Parisien, the government would have to spend 20 million euros to implement this idea. Government officials said that participation in the choir is voluntary and "complements mandatory music lessons."

According to Zing