Mexico’s Secretariat of Public Education, known as SEP, has announced that it reached a national agreement to regulate the use of cellphones in classrooms. SEP is the federal agency responsible for setting educational policy across Mexico’s public school system, similar in role to a combination of a state education department and the U.S. Department of Education.
The move comes amid a broader debate playing out in schools worldwide over whether smartphones help or hinder learning. Educators in many countries have raised concerns that constant access to phones distracts students, disrupts classroom discipline, and may contribute to issues like cyberbullying and reduced attention spans. Some school systems in the United States and Europe have already imposed outright bans or restricted phone use to specific times of day.
While the announcement signals a coordinated national approach rather than a patchwork of local rules, further details on how the agreement will be implemented, monitored, or enforced were not immediately available. It remains unclear whether the policy will apply uniformly to all grade levels or allow for exceptions, such as emergencies or accessibility needs.
The agreement reflects growing pressure on education authorities to address technology’s role in schools as part of a larger conversation about student well-being and academic performance.
To read the full original report in Spanish, visit informador.mx.
Source: SEP logra acuerdo nacional para regular celulares en aulas (informador.mx).
Image: AFS-USA Intercultural Programs, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).