New South Wales sets mandatory classroom screen-time caps from 2028

A timetable for mandatory limits

The New South Wales government has announced detailed limits on how long pupils in public schools may use individual digital devices during class. The rules will be issued as recommendations in 2027 and become mandatory in 2028. They are paired with guidance calling for at least one hour of daily pen-and-paper learning, making the policy broader than a simple prohibition on mobile phones.

Under the plan reported by the Guardian, children from kindergarten through Year 2 will be limited to 15 minutes a day on individual devices such as tablets or laptops. The allowance rises to 30 minutes in Years 3 and 4 and 45 minutes in Years 5 and 6. For Years 7 to 10, personal-device use will be capped at one quarter of subject time, while senior pupils may use devices for up to half of learning time.

Homework and digital literacy

The government also plans guidance limiting screen-based homework and recommending none for children below Year 5. Officials say digital literacy will remain in the curriculum, indicating that the objective is controlled, purposeful use rather than eliminating technology from education. The policy follows an existing school-phone ban and a similar direction announced by Victoria, while Australia's federal education minister has raised the possibility of a wider digital detox.

New South Wales Education Minister Prue Car linked the decision to concerns about excessive screen use, classroom distraction and declining reading and writing performance. The state's chief paediatrician supported reducing cumulative exposure that displaces sleep, movement and other activities associated with healthy development. Those policy claims should not be read as proof that every form of educational technology produces the same effects.

An international policy debate

European Commission research provides useful independent context. An EU survey published in June found that adolescents reported extensive weekday and weekend screen use, with concentration problems, tired eyes and headaches among common symptoms. A separate European education review found that device restrictions can improve focus but work best when schools also support pupil engagement, consistent enforcement and responsible digital skills.

Implementation will decide the outcome

The two-year lead time gives schools an opportunity to revise lesson plans, device procurement and expectations for teachers and families. The main questions are how exemptions will work for disability support, specialised subjects and assessments; whether schools will receive additional materials and training; and how compliance will be measured without creating new administrative burdens. The policy's significance lies in its precise time limits and mandatory statewide application, not in a blanket rejection of digital learning.