Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville sent the directive to school service centers banning cell phones in primary and secondary schools and training centers in the province.
The minister’s instructions must be implemented by December 31st at the latest.
Last August, I announced my intention to send a directive to the public school system to ban cell phones in the classroom. The aim of this guideline is to create a more conducive teaching and learning climate in order to promote the academic success of students, explained Minister Drainville after its adoption by the Council of Ministers.
The document sent by the Minister specifies that certain exceptions are allowed: when a teacher decides to use the mobile phone for educational reasons, when the health condition of a student requires it or when taking into account the special needs of a disabled student or students with learning difficulties.
School service centers are responsible for communicating the terms and conditions of this policy to students and parents.
It is clarified that it is also the school service centers that must take corrective action for non-compliance with this policy.
Last May, the Federation of Education Unions (FSE-CSQ) said that a survey of its members showed that 92.4% of the teachers it represents supported the idea of banning cell phones in class.
Teachers see this as a source of distraction that they can do without.