President Says National Decision on School Phone Use May Be Unavoidable

Lithuania’s president says the country may need a nationwide decision on mobile phone use in schools after schools’ own rules are reviewed this autumn.

Gitanas Nausėda told Žinių Radijas that the situation could be assessed in the second half of September. Schools are expected to establish their own procedures, based on proposals from school councils and national recommendations. The review will show how many schools plan to regulate phone use and whether that approach is sufficient.

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The problem remains, and the liberal path is fine. We can test it and quickly draw conclusions about how many schools intend to regulate mobile phone use.

“We should seek a unified decision, but we can do that in the second half of September, when we see the schools’ assessment of the recommended procedures adopted by the schools themselves,” Nausėda said. “In my view, a state decision may be unavoidable.”

Education, Science and Sports Minister Raminta Popovienė has said she does not want to rush into a ban before the current legal amendments take effect. She has also warned that the rules will have to become stricter if schools fail to meet their commitments.

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We should seek a unified decision, but we can do that in the second half of September, when we see the schools’ assessment of the recommended procedures adopted by the schools themselves.

Parliament approved amendments to the Education Law in April. The changes require preschools and general education schools to set rules for mobile phone use, taking account of school council proposals and national recommendations. The rules must be prepared by Sept. 1, 2026.

The issue returned to political discussion after a violent incident involving minors in Marijampolė. Nausėda’s adviser Vaidas Augustinavičius said the president believes children should not use phones in educational institutions. Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius has not said whether he supports a centralized ban, but said the government is examining other countries’ experiences with restricting minors’ access to social networks.

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In my view, a state decision may be unavoidable.