An increasing number of schools in the southern municipalities are facing some kind of ban on mobile phones, our survey shows. Of the 74 schools that answered our survey, only four say they do not have a ban on cell phones in the classroom.

More stringent policies are expected

At the European school Rogge in Strängnäs, children up to seventh grade leave their phones in the morning and pick them up when they end the day. Students in eighth and ninth grade submit their cell phones at each lesson. But within a couple of years, the stricter policy will apply to all students.

"Many in our school think it's great," says Noor Murtadha, a middle school teacher.

According to her, there are not very many discussions or arguments about the mobiles in the classroom.

- Students listen when you ask them to hand in the phones. I think it is because all teachers work in the same way and the students understand that this is how it works in our school.

The principals decide

Many schools have previously allowed the respective teachers to decide whether the students' cell phones should be handed in, but it is increasingly common for the principals to decide on a mobile policy that applies to the entire school within the framework of the rules of procedure.

Last year Stenhammar School in Flen went to a mobile ban in the classroom.

- It has its advantages and disadvantages. The students are not out on social media during lesson time, but at the same time, the phones are their future and the students will always have. Then there is also a way to teach them how to handle these phones, says Åsa Carnesten, Deputy Principal.

Does the school miss its mission when you pick up the phones then, or how do you think about it?

- We need to look over time how we can learn and the students how to work on how to use the phones.