After a year of implementing legislation that restricts the use of cell phones for non-pedagogical purposes in basic education schools, 92% of Brazilian schools have already implemented the new rules.
Before Law No. 15,100/2025, unrestricted permission for the use of mobile devices by students reached 13% of schools and, currently, this full permission no longer exists.
The data appears in the National Survey of the first year of implementation of the legislation, released this Tuesday (30) by the Ministry of Education.
The survey was carried out by the National Institute of Educational Studies and Research Anísio Teixeira (Inep), in partnership with the Alana Institute and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) in Brazil.
During the presentation of the research, the MEC’s Secretary of Basic Education, Kátia Schweickardt, stated that the acceptance of the law shows that the restriction on the use of cell phones without educational purposes was correct, because it disrupted the school’s routine.
“Unlike other laws that are stillborn, this is a living law, because it is already being internalized. Many laws in Brazil do not catch on. If this one caught on, it is because there was an environment in society concerned about this harmful use [do celular nas escolas]”, assessed the MEC secretary.
The rapid adherence to public policy, according to the CEO of the Lemann Foundation, Denis Mizne, is due to the broad support from different political spectrums, the press, education experts and those responsible for the students.
“Families and educators already realized that the use of cell phones in schools was harming children and teenagers and wanted to change the situation, but they were unable to do so in isolation.
Mizne considers it natural that only 8% still do not comply with the rule considering the universe of more than 140 thousand public schools across the country.
Search
In the sample survey, 8,189 public and private school managers from all 27 units of the federation responded to questionnaires administered between March and April this year by Inep.
After this first stage, other school actors, such as pedagogical coordinators and teachers, will be approached in future publications to report their perceptions.
The president of Inep, Manuel Palacios, emphasizes that restricting the use of cell phones when there is no educational purpose should not be seen as an isolated initiative.
“The research result is part of a constellation of studies and concerns about the transformations that are taking place in the educational environment. The regulation of cell phone use is part of a large context in which we do not passively watch the changes that are taking place.”
Other results
Among 92% of educational managers who report that the law was already being implemented in their institutions, 45% consider the process consolidated and 47% report that implementation is ongoing.
As almost half of the schools that started the process have not yet completed it, the CEO of the non-profit civil society organization MegaEdu, Cristieni Castilhos, understands that there are important challenges on how to manage the ban on cell phones.
“Schools have been testing protocols and combining them to understand what works best in each reality and at each stage of teaching, depending on the age and characteristics of the schools’ students.” The entity works to ensure that 100% of public schools in Brazil have access to quality internet and can use it for educational purposes.
The National Survey — 1st year of Law no. 15,100/2025 also shows that the restriction of use in all school spaces (including playgrounds and breaks) more than doubled, jumping from 20% to 48%.
Managers’ responses indicate that permission focused strictly on activities mediated by school professionals remained at 45% and was 43% before 2025.
Perceived impacts
In the questionnaire, managers report improvements in the participation of children and adolescents, in coexistence and concentration during classes after the regulation of the non-pedagogical use of mobile devices:
– 97% agree that the measure increased student participation in activities and 95% noticed greater concentration in classes;
– 86% consider that pedagogical activities with digital technologies were maintained or expanded and
– 71% disagree that the law limits the development of students’ digital skills.
Secretary Kátia recalled that managers often complained about the damage to teaching and learning processes due to the unjudicious use of smartphones in classrooms, but considers that the law directs digital resources for learning, without demonizing technologies.
“Technologies are an accelerated reality, including by artificial intelligence. Now, it is imperative in education that we increasingly use them with pedagogical intentionality”, he stressed.
The MegaEdu representative agrees that the way forward is to use technology intentionally. “Brazil took an important step with the approval of the law. The next challenge is to have a clear strategy on how to use technology to improve learning. This involves equipping schools with the appropriate infrastructure and preparing teachers so that technology is, in fact, another tool at the service of education.”
Mental health, socialization and coexistence
Regarding the restriction on the non-pedagogical use of cell phones, the research shows that:
– 95% of managers interviewed agree that it encouraged in-person socialization;
– 67% report an increase in manual/artistic activities and;
– 56% saw an increase in educational activities outside the classroom.
Another perception of 86% of managers is that the restriction helped to reduce students’ anxiety.
Regarding conflicts, 88% agree that the measure contributed to reducing conflicts, digital aggression and cyberbullying and reducing physical aggression at school (55%).
Kátia Schweickardt made the connection between restricting the use of cell phones in the educational environment and the reduction in violence among students. “Things are very immediate. Before, when a small group quickly passed the message, one guy, angry, would punch the other. Now, it’s more controlled there [na escola].”
Disclosure of the results of the National Survey of the 1st year of Law No. 15,100/2025, which evaluates the implementation of legislation that restricts the use of cell phones for non-pedagogical purposes in basic education schools. Photo: Allef Renan/Disclosure
Implementation Challenges
Among the biggest operational difficulties pointed out for the implementation of the new law, 39% of school managers say it is getting young people to adhere to the new rules.
In 39% of responses, the challenge is to guarantee infrastructure to store and store the devices, with emphasis on public schools (45%) and private schools, 18%.
Education specialist Cristieni Castilhos notes that one of the problems is knowing which protocol to adopt because it is not possible to tell a student not to bring their cell phone to school when this is contact with their parents and that contributes to their safety.
Another issue is deciding whether the cell phone stays in the backpack or whether it should be stored in a school space. “Not all institutions have this structure and, furthermore, there is still no consensus that removing the equipment from students is, in itself, the best solution.”
And 31% of educational managers also report difficulties in continuous supervision during classes and breaks.
Priorities to improve
Among the priorities to consolidate the policy, 67% of managers indicate partnership with families to establish screen time limits for students outside of school.
The CEO of the Lemann Foundation, Denis Mizne, considers that this partnership is the central point, as the school, alone, cannot act on the use of cell phones within the student’s home.
“Those responsible should not think that, with the ban at school, children can use cell phones freely at home, but rather the opposite: question whether the restriction that worked at school should not also guide home use,” he said.
Other information from the report indicates that six out of ten managers consider leisure spaces, including renovations to patios and common areas, as a priority to improve the application of the new law.
And yet: 49% of managers perceive the need for digital and media education in the curriculum and for 61% of them, teacher training in technological mediation, mental health and well-being.
About the Law
The legislation that establishes rules for the use of cell phones and other personal electronic devices by students in public and private basic education establishments restricts their use during classes, recess and breaks.
The objective is to protect the well-being of children and adolescents and preserve the school environment as a space for learning, coexistence and integral development.
However, the law allows the use of cell phones for educational purposes, accessibility, health conditions and other cases.
