Parents Oppose a Complete Ban on Smartphones in Kazakhstan’s Schools

According to KTK TV channel, lawmakers propose confiscating phones even during breaks and fining parents, Orda.kz reports

Smartphones may be banned completely in Kazakh schools. Deputies are proposing a ban on phone use not only during lessons, but also during breaks. They also want to fine parents for breaking the rules.

Currently, students cannot use their phones during lessons. When they enter the classroom, they must either hand in their gadget or put it in their backpack. They can only retrieve their device with the teacher’s permission. Parents are issued a warning for the first violation and a fine of more than 20 thousand tenge for a repeated violation.

Parents did not support the tightening of the rules. Laura Baizakova, mother of a Year 7 student, explained that the school actively uses internet resources and an electronic diary.

«He had a simple phone, and I had to update it. He couldn’t scan the QR code on his old phone, which the teachers ask the students to do for the lesson. There was an earthquake today, and the first thing I did was call my child. I’m against taking away children’s phones. They should be available at any time,» she said 

Teachers believe that constant gadget use reduces academic performance and affects health.

«Our teachers love it, too. It’s easier to contact the GPT chat than to do it yourself. I would prefer these reliable, Soviet methods, as we learned them. They are also less harmful,» said Aisulu Medetbekova, the director of Lyceum No. 28 named after M. Mametova 

The deputies propose depriving the school of the right to solve the phone issue independently and transferring it to a single authorised body, most likely the Ministry of Education or local education departments. The Ministry said that the ban during the educational process is aimed at preserving health, reducing distractions, and preventing online bullying.

The project is currently under consideration in the Majilis. It has not yet been specified how exactly the violations will be recorded.

As we previously reported, Kazakhstan has formed a working group to limit children’s access to social networks. Deputy Education Minister Zhuldyz Suleimenova said officials are studying foreign practices, including linking registration to SIM cards and restricting harmful content, with broader discussions planned with parents and media representatives.

Original author: Ruslan Loginov