00:00Did you know that in Bogotá children and young people can spend more hours in front of their cell phone screens than in other places?
00:04a classroom?
00:05On average, people spend 9 hours a day in front of these devices, an alarming figure that prompted a decision that opened
00:11a new debate in the city's classrooms.
00:13The Bogotá Education Secretariat is about to issue an official resolution restricting the use of telephones
00:18mobile phones during the school day.
00:20This measure, dubbed the Reconnecting to Learn educational policy, prohibits the use of these devices during school hours.
00:27both in class and during breaks and lunchtime.
00:30The new rule applies to all official schools in Bogotá, covering the levels of early childhood, primary and secondary education.
00:36But why is this decision being made?
00:37More than 77,000 students, teachers, administrators and families participated in 366 educational forums held between May and July to
00:46to discuss the use of cell phones and other devices in schools in Bogotá.
00:49For example, surveys by the Secretariat revealed that 87% of students in Bogotá have their own cell phone and
00:5582% of teachers observe that it is used in class for activities unrelated to learning, such as games and
01:01social networks.
01:02Furthermore, research from the University of La Sabana shows that 43% of adolescents are addicted to cell phones.
01:08suffering from sleep disturbances, emotional dysregulation, and memory problems.
01:12Other countries are also moving towards restrictions on cell phone use in schools. The European Union is debating establishing a majority of
01:19digital age between 15 and 16 years.
01:21South Korea will ban phones in classrooms from March 2027, and Finland has restricted their use for students.
01:28from 7 to 16 years old.
01:29In Latin America, Buenos Aires mandated that cell phones remain stored away throughout the school day in primary schools.
01:35while in secondary school they are only allowed for educational activities or at times defined by each school.
01:40To avoid going too far afield, Ibagué was the first city in the country to ban the use of cell phones this year.
01:45in classrooms for children under 14 years old.
01:47What is the scope of the resolution?
01:49It not only limits cell phones, but also places strict limits on the educational use of other screens such as tablets and computers, according to
01:55age.
01:56For example, they are completely prohibited in Pre-Kindergarten.
01:58In Transition Garden, the maximum accumulated daily exposure will be 30 minutes, in primary school one hour, and in
02:04In high school, its use will be permitted exclusively linked to pedagogical objectives defined by the teachers.
02:09For students in grades 8 through 11, adolescents aged 14 and over, the draft resolution proposes a
02:15a gradual transition approach towards the responsible and autonomous use of technology,
02:20differentiating from the stricter restrictions applied in earlier stages of development.
02:24The rule also includes exceptions allowing the use of cell phones in cases of medical emergencies or specific health situations.
02:30that require monitoring
02:32or for students who require these technologies as an indispensable support for their learning due to their particular conditions.
02:38As in this and other cases, the dilemma of banning the use of cell phones in schools has been
02:42analyzed in detail by education experts.
02:45According to Professor Erwin Fabián García, a member of the Institute for Educational Research and the Youth Observatory of the
02:50UNAL,
02:51It may be seen as an authoritarian measure while there is evidence that supports promoting self-regulation.
02:56Meanwhile, Irene Rodríguez, a psychologist and education consultant, points out that instead of restricting the use of technology,
03:02Other situations must be addressed, such as the pandemic of loneliness that hides behind the screen.
03:06The Education Secretariat's project is now published and citizens can include suggestions, comments and contributions.
03:12Educational institutions will have a maximum period of six months from the publication of the regulation in this
03:17September 2026
03:19to adapt their coexistence manuals and implement the restriction.
03:22Do you think restricting cell phone use in schools will improve students' mental health and performance?
03:27in Bogotá?
03:28Or do you consider it a measure that is very difficult to control in practice?
03:31Share your opinion and discuss in the comments.
03:43Share your opinion and discuss in the comments.
