Mexico restricts cellphones in primary and secondary schools nationwide

Overview

Updated 2 hours ago

Mexican students will put their phones in their backpacks starting November 3. The Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) issued nationwide rules on September 21 barring cellphones and tablets for the entire school day in primary and secondary schools, including recess, across public and private institutions.

The policy targets screen distraction that teachers and parents say is eroding learning: students average about 2.7 hours a day on screens at school, nearly half for leisure, and 81% of teachers support the restriction. Sixteen states already regulated school phones; the federal accord now makes the rules uniform.

Why it matters

Starting November 3, Mexican students in primary and secondary schools face a full school day without personal screens, testing whether limits improve attention and learning.

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Key Indicators

81%

Teachers supporting the restriction

A survey of more than 565,000 teachers found 81% back the measure.

83%

Parents worried about device time

More than 83% of parents say they are concerned about their children's screen use.

40%

Students reporting distracted classmates

Four in 10 Mexican students say classmates are distracted by devices in most or all classes.

States with prior cellphone rules

Sixteen states already regulated school cellphone use before the federal accord.

2.7h

Average daily on-school screen time

Students spend about 2.7 hours a day on screens at school, nearly half for leisure.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Ever wondered what historical figures would say about today's headlines?

People Involved

Claudia Sheinbaum

President of Mexico

Announced the school cellphone restriction; framed it as a public-health measure

Mario Delgado

Secretary of Public Education (SEP)

Led negotiations with state education authorities and detailed implementation

Ricardo Monreal

Morena party leader in the Chamber of Deputies

Pledged to formalize the restriction into federal law

Organizations Involved

Secretariat of Public Education (SEP)

Federal government ministry

Issued Acuerdo 09/09/26 restricting school device use

Mexico's federal education ministry, which publishes national curriculum and school regulations.

Consejo Nacional de Autoridades Educativas (Conaedu)

Federal-state education council

Voted unanimously to back the restriction

National council bringing together federal and state education authorities.

Unión Nacional de Padres de Familia (UNPF)

Parents' advocacy organization

Welcomed the measure but called for broader reforms

National parents' union advocating for family involvement in education policy.

Timeline

September 2026 November 2026

4 events Latest: Yesterday

Tap a bar to jump to that date

November 2026
Restriction takes effect in classrooms and recess
Upcoming Implementation

Cellphone and tablet use barred for the full school day in primary and secondary schools.
November 3rd, 2026
September 2026
Acuerdo 09/09/26 published in official gazette
Latest Publication

Restriction formalized in Diario Oficial de la Federación; 30-day information period begins.
Yesterday
SEP announces nationwide school phone restriction
Announcement

Secretariat unveiled rules barring phones and tablets during the primary and secondary school day.
2 days ago
Conaedu unanimously approves phone restriction
Policy

National education council backed restricting cellphone use in basic education schools.
4 days ago

Scenarios

Mexico writes the phone restriction into federal law

Likely Resolves by Sep 1, 2027

Discussed by: Ricardo Monreal and the Morena bloc in the Chamber of Deputies

Morena lawmakers have pledged to convert the executive accord into a statute, arguing a decree can be reversed by a future administration. Monreal said the goal is a law with general application, abstraction, obligation, and even coerciveness. If the governing majority holds, the restriction gains permanence and standardized enforcement beyond the current administration.

Enforcement stays uneven across the 32 states

Possible Resolves by Jul 31, 2027

Discussed by: Education analysts and the Unión Nacional de Padres de Familia

The accord assigns supervision to state education secretariats, which have uneven capacity. The parents' union has already warned the measure is insufficient without addressing learning gaps and teacher authority. If some states apply the rules loosely and others strictly, the uniform national standard erodes into patchwork.

Upper secondary schools adopt weak self-imposed limits

Possible Resolves by Jun 1, 2027

Discussed by: SEP secretary Mario Delgado; Conaedu deliberations

The accord leaves upper secondary institutions to set their own rules for non-pedagogical device use, with options ranging from full-day storage to scheduled classroom use. Schools facing pressure from students and families may choose the lightest limits. Federal officials have signaled they will monitor the outcome and could tighten the rules if self-regulation falls short.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2015

New York City lifts its school cellphone ban (2015)

New York City public schools barred cellphones since 2006, with metal-detector checks that sometimes confiscated devices. Mayor Bill de Blasio ended the ban in 2015, letting each school decide its own policy.

Then

Many schools kept limits; others allowed phones in hallways and cafeterias.

Now

The reversal showed school phone policy can swing both ways, with some districts later re-tightening rules amid distraction concerns.

Why this matters now

It underlines that Mexico's restriction is not irreversible: if enforcement or academic results disappoint, a future administration could relax it, which is exactly why Morena wants it enshrined in law.

July-September 2018

France bans smartphones in schools (2018)

France passed a law in July 2018 banning smartphones and tablets in primary and middle schools, effective that September. Exceptions covered students with disabilities and pedagogical use. The Macron government framed it as protecting children's health and attention.

Then

Enforcement fell to teachers and school staff, with parents and students adapting over the first year.

Now

France became a European reference point for school phone restrictions, cited in later debates across the continent.

Why this matters now

Mexico's rule closely mirrors the French approach but goes further by covering recess and relying on a federal accord rather than a dedicated statute, at least until Morena's planned law.

December 2024-January 2025

Brazil restricts cellphones in basic education (2025)

Brazil's Congress approved a law in late 2024 restricting cellphone use in basic education, sanctioned by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in January 2025. The law limits phones in classrooms and recess, with exceptions for pedagogical use, accessibility, and health needs.

Then

The law took effect across public and private schools in 2025, making Brazil the largest country in the region with a national rule.

Now

Brazil's move became a template for Latin American peers debating similar restrictions.

Why this matters now

The parallel shows a regional trend: Mexico, along with Chile, now follows the Brazilian path while Argentina and Colombia still debate rules.