Are you one of the thousands of parents sending your children to a state school in 2020? Then you might have noticed the news from mid last year of a new mobile phone ban. Of course, this depends on which state you are in.
In Victoria, Education Minister James Merlino wants the mobile phone ban in effect during school hours and in primary and secondary state schools. This means phones must be kept in lockers from the first bell to the last bell of the day. The only exceptions to this rule are if a child requires the phone for medical reasons or if specifically instructed by teachers for a classroom activity.
“Banning mobile phones during school hours will not only mean students focus more on learning, it will also help kids interact more in the schoolyard and reduce cyberbullying.” James Merlino said.
The Victorian Member for Hawthorn, John Kennedy supports this ban and has said, “this is about getting all Victorian state schools ready to put away their phones and put their education first.”
This was the similar response given by Mark McGowan, Premier for WA. The WA Labor government will have a similar mobile phone ban in place for next year. “We want to create the best possible learning environment for WA kids and our policy will allow students to focus on their school work without the distraction of a mobile phone.”
From 2020, all WA public schools will implement a ban on the use of mobile phones for students from the time they arrive at school until the end of the school day – including before school and at break times. pic.twitter.com/zYfS8lTxvD
— Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) October 30, 2019
When will the mobile phone ban take effect?
NSW currently allows state secondary schools to opt in to the ban. So it's best to check with your local school for changes.
Victoria starts its ban from term 1, 2020 in all state primary and secondary schools.
WA will also start its ban from term 1, 2020 in state schools from kindergarten to year 12. The ban also includes restricting the use of smartwatches, tablets and headphones. The only exception will be unless instructed otherwise by a teacher for a classroom activity.
Tasmania begins a little later in the school year, from the beginning of term 2, 2020 for all state primary and secondary schools. However, students in years 11 & 12 will be given greater flexibility in when they can use their phones.
QLD, NT and ACT have no plans to roll out a state school mobile phone ban at this stage.
For most students, this means they will be required to store their mobile phones in their locker for the day.
Get the right padlock before it’s too late
These days, mobile phones no longer cost a couple of hundreds of dollars. Instead, phones can cost upwards of $1000 each. So what can you do to protect them (along with hundreds of dollars in textbooks and stationery) and stop your kid’s locker from being easily picked by their peers? Get a solid and tough padlock. Something that will handle the chaos and carelessness of students. There are three categories of padlocks you can choose from. The circular dial combination padlock, digit combination padlocks and smart padlocks. Tip: don’t go for the cheap dollar store padlocks, you’ll need something that will last the school year!
Go for the classic
Have you been told by your school to get the classic circular dial combination padlock? Well, you have come to the right place! Secure Your World stocks the trusty Master and ABUS dial combination padlocks. These padlocks have a solid shackle made of hardened steel, making them perfect for any environment, indoors or out. If turning the dial doesn’t work for you, and you still need to stick to a traditional, mechanical padlock, we have another option. It’s the digit combination padlock. This style of padlock is still sturdy and great for the harsh Australian weather. Choose any code that works for you and off you go!
Get the smart padlock
If mechanical padlocks aren’t your ‘thing’ or you have the freedom to pick any type, then you need to check this gadget out. It’s from our good mates at Igloohome, and it's the Smart padlock. But doesn’t ‘smart’ means that it needs a phone to operate? The answer is a little bit more than just a black and white answer. It takes a phone user (administrator a.k.a. you) to connect the padlock to the mobile app to make it active. As soon as it’s connected, create a customised (or system generated) 4 to 6 digit code. Once, it’s set up, that’s it. Your child can now easily get in and out of their locker.
Fuss-free security
One of our favourite features of the Igloohome Smart Padlock has got to be in its ease of access. Combination padlocks are fiddly and small, not to mention annoying and frustrating if you miss a digit on those awkward circular dial combination padlocks. However, the dial pads on the Igloohome Smart Padlock are sturdy and the numbers are fade-proof. Finally, if you need to create further access, say for a teacher, there's no need to be next to the padlock to grant the access. Instead, you can create a one time PIN or time-restricted access from home. All you have to do is provide this via text or email. Whilst you’re preparing the new school stationery list and where to buy them, order your school locker padlock from Secure Your World. Together, we can keep your child’s phone safely stored in their school locker.
