Israel will ban mobile phone use in primary schools from February 2, the education ministry announced on Friday. This new rule stops children from using phones on school grounds to limit their negative effects. Education Minister Yoav Kisch said, "The policy is based on studies in Israel and worldwide and aims to create a healthy, safe school environment by reducing students' phone use." He added the plan includes educational programs and talks with parents to promote balanced phone use, prevent too much social media use, and reduce exposure to unsuitable content. Until now, schools decided individually about phone use. Since September, Tel Aviv stopped smartphone use in all its schools. Other countries like Australia and France also have mobile phone bans in schools. UNESCO reported that by late 2024, 40% of education systems globally had such bans, up from 30% the year before.