Singapore schools: phone policies and phone-free spaces

This resource summarises publicly available guidance and examples to support school leaders planning consistent routines for phone-free spaces.

What national guidance generally emphasises

Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE) has stated that it provides guidance for schools to develop policies and rules to regulate mobile device use based on student profiles and needs, rather than applying a single blanket ban across all schools. In practice, that usually means each school defines where phones are not used, when phones are allowed again, and how compliance is expected to look during the school day.

Latest update to secondary school guidance

In late 2025, MOE announced enhanced measures relating to healthier screen use in students. A key point highlighted publicly is that existing guidance restricting smartphone and smartwatch use during lesson time for secondary students would be broadened from January 2026 to include non-lesson time during school hours, including recess and co-curricular activities (CCAs). Schools may still define how this is operationalised and communicate expectations clearly to students and parents.

What school policies often look like in practice

Many schools publish student handbook rules that describe expected behaviour (for example, devices switched off and kept out of sight during curriculum time). The details vary by school, but the operational challenge is consistent: staff need a routine that is easy to run, and students need a routine that is easy to follow consistently across spaces.

Turning “phone-free” into an easy-to-run routine

Once a school defines phone-free spaces, the next step is operational clarity: what students do on entry, what happens during the session, and when phones can be used again. The SG School Phone Pouch Programme is designed around a simple routine: students place phones into a personal locked pouch on entry to phone-free spaces, and unlock only at approved times using an unlocking base.

For operational detail and rollout steps, start with the programme overview for school leaders, how to manage phone usage in three steps, and the implementation guide for administrators.