Ukrainian schools may restrict the use of smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches during the educational process. The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, Science, and Innovation has created a working group to develop a relevant bill, and MP Natalia Pipa proposes implementing the Finnish model, which would allow each educational institution to independently determine the rules.
Ukrainian schools may restrict the use of smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches during the educational process. The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, Science, and Innovation has created a working group to develop a relevant bill, and MP Natalia Pipa proposes implementing the Finnish model, which would allow each educational institution to independently determine the rules.
Natalia Pipa, a member of the Verkhovna Rada’s education committee, reported this in her Facebook post.
The Education Committee is working on Bill No. 15105, which would prohibit students from using mobile devices during lessons. Exceptions are planned only for medical needs or at the teacher’s direction for educational tasks.
An alternative initiative proposed by Natalia Pipa is to abandon a total ban at the country level. Instead, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine should develop standard guidelines, and each school should prescribe its own regulations in its charter.
For example, the institution’s administration can choose the option where the gadget remains in the backpack, or a system where phones are handed in at the entrance and picked up after classes are over. During air raids, the deputy proposes to lift restrictions on the use of devices to communicate with parents if the institution does not have a notification system through teachers.
It is proposed to take the Finnish model as an example. From August 1, 2025, amendments to the Basic Education Act came into force in Finland, which banned the use of personal smartphones and electronic devices during classes in primary and secondary schools. Gadgets are allowed only when instructed by a teacher for an educational task or for medical reasons (for example, to monitor blood sugar levels).
Finnish teachers have been given the official right to demand that devices be hidden or temporarily confiscated in the event of disciplinary action. In addition, the country’s legislation encourages schools to limit phone use during breaks, offering students board games and live chat.
"A phone in your pocket during a regular lesson does not save, but simply takes away attention. It is important not to impose one model on the entire country, but to give schools the right to decide for themselves what suits them," noted Natalia Pipa.
According to the MP, regulating screen time directly affects the level of digital safety and children’s academic achievements. According to the PISA-2025 study, reading scores among Ukrainian teenagers have dropped to 418 points (in 2018, this indicator was 466 points), and 43% of schoolchildren have difficulties translating text or analyzing multiple sources.
