The parliament of Latvia, Saeima, on Thursday adopted amendments to the Education Law of Latvia that will prohibit the use of mobile phones in schools for students from Grade 1 through Grade 9 (inclusive), except in cases where a teacher allows their use as part of the educational process.
Until now, the restriction applied only to students up to Grade 6.
The new ban will take effect on the 1st of June, 2026, when the current school year will already have ended.
It has previously been reported that in 2024 the Saeima approved amendments to the Education Law introducing a ban on the use of mobile phones in schools for students up to Grade 6 starting from the 2025/2026 academic year, unless the devices are required for learning purposes.
Educational institutions were also required to establish, by the 31st of May, 2025, internal rules governing how technical devices may be used in the learning and educational process and for communication.
Read also: Populists are gaining popularity; the question remains: can they lead?