The Hungarian government seems to believe that phones are the root of educational problems, but are they?

While the intention is to foster a more focused and engaged classroom, the result is quite the opposite. The ban creates an environment where technology is only viewed as inherently harmful to learning, ignoring its potential benefits.

If a student is caught with a phone during school hours, even in breaks, the penalties can be as severe as suspension. Instead of creating a healthier learning environment, the legislation has left teachers, principals and students frustrated.

In my own experience, the ban has caused unexpected logistical problems. My classmates and I often arrive late to class, not because we are distracted by our phones, but because we don’t know what time it is. Few clocks are installed in our school and before the ban we used our phones to check the time. Now, we’re left wandering the halls, hoping to spot a clock, a situation that is more disruptive than helpful.

The focus on the negative effects of phones overlooks the many ways they can actually enhance learning. Phones provide access to dictionaries, databases, translators, and other academic resources for research related to schoolwork. Phones can also help us with schoolwork, so we can contact each other about group projects or even last-minute review sessions before exams.

Instead of an outright ban, a more reasonable approach would be to set clear guidelines for responsible phone use. It could be in the form of increasingly severe punishments: an initial warning to put the phone away; next it is removed until the end of a class period; then until the end of the school day, and so on.

Importantly, these consequences would apply only to those who misuse their phones, not to the entire student body, most of whom use them responsibly.

If the goal of the ban is to curb phone addiction, it’s shortsighted. If students want to, for example, use gambling apps in class, they will simply wait and do it after school. A ban in the classroom doesn’t address the underlying problem—it just shifts the issue to a different time.

Possible solutions

Instead of banning phones, schools should focus on teaching digital wellness. Rather than framing technology as harmful, they should educate us about how to be digitally literate and how we can balance our screen time and responsibly use technology. Some countries, such as Singapore and Malaysia, are forerunners in incorporating technology into school curriculums.

Workshops or lessons on digital wellness could help students understand both the benefits and the distractions that phones present. Additionally, schools should teach us how to be responsible users of the internet, social media, and video games. By restricting our use of phones and technology, schools deny us the opportunity to develop the skills we will need in the future.

Government and school administrators miss the bigger picture. Instead of obsessing over technology in classrooms, they should focus on bettering the poor quality of the public school system in Hungary.

This isn’t just a Hungarian problem: US states such as Utah and Maryland and other European countries are pushing for similar regulations. It’s a global issue, and the focus is misplaced.

To truly prepare students for the future, we should embrace technology, not fear it.

By banning phones, Hungary is setting up its students for failure, disconnecting us from the very tools that shape modern life. If officials want to improve education, they should focus on what matters: better resources, more support for teachers, and a system that meets the needs of today’s students—not a ban that ignores reality.