Santiago, Chile (AP) – Volleyball, basketball, ping pong, dance rehearsal or simple chat. Dozens of teens are rediscovering methods I’ll reconnect It has implemented a pioneering programme in a country blocking mobile phone signals in the real world after schools in Santiago, Chile.
Now, instead of forcing Instagram feeds to scroll or sharing choreographed ticutok dances, students spend their time at libraries, cafes, or several courthouses at Lo Barnechea BiCentenario School, located in the wealthy district of Lo Barnechea in northern Santiago.
“The break is very lively right now,” Humberto Galido, the school’s principal, told The Associated Press.
To stimulate bonds between young people, the school introduced “a comprehensive plan that includes more games in the courtyard, more games in libraries, soccer, tennis, basketball and even more games in the championship.”
Chile fights smartphone addiction
The program was first installed in Chile and one of the first in South America – was implemented last month. This is a bid by Mayor Lo Barnechea’s office that will help address student happiness in an age of hyperconnectivity and rediscover real-world connections.
For now, this initiative has been tested only at Lo Barnechea Bicentenario School and applies to 8th graders aged 13 or 14. However, the measure will soon be extended to all grades and will be implemented gradually at schools in other districts next year.
According to Garrido, Lo Barnechea Bicentenario was Chile’s first school and one of the pioneers to adopt this method in South America, inspired by successful examples of American educational institutions and as efforts in the region grew Restricts smartphone use.
“We are one of the countries where students spend the most time on screens since they were young,” he said.
Students see profits
On a recent cold, sunny day in Chile in late winter, dozens of students were patiently lined up, allowing only school inspectors to deactivate their smartphones before they could be put into a black case designed to clog signal detection via a blocking magnet. They can still hold the device, but only after-school texting, phone calls or rewinds are allowed.
The first few days of digital detox required some degree of adaptation, but a few weeks after its launch, the program has been well received by students, teachers and parents.
“I feel free, I spend more time on breaks, more time with my classmates. I play more sports. Previously, I spent time on my phone, watching Tiktok and Instagram,” said 14-year-old Jose David.
Another student, 13-year-old Francisca Susalte, said storing her phone in a locker or handing over to a teacher made her anxious, as is common elsewhere with the ban on smartphones at schools.
“In these cases, I still have it and I’m caring for it, so I feel more comfortable,” she said.
Smartphone use raises concerns
Recent international studies With an organization for economic cooperation and development that assesses student skills in reading, mathematics and science, Chile has shown that although it leads educational indicators in Latin America, it still does not reach the international average.
In the OECD’s 2023 assessment, more than half of Chilean students reported being distracted when using digital devices above average.
Felipe Alessandri, mayor of Lo Barnechea, stressed that the Chilean national exam revealed serious flaws among students in countries on subjects such as language, mathematics and critical thinking. The situation has worsened with distance learning during the coronavirus pandemic, he said.
“Today, we have children who are experiencing all sorts of problems, including depression, anxiety, obesity,” Alessandri told the Associated Press. “When I take my phone away, I have hysteria.”
A 2021 study by researchers at King’s College in the UK found that young people who think they are obsessed with their mobile phones are twice as likely to report symptoms of anxiety, and three times as likely to suffer from depression than those who are not.
“These devices are designed to create addiction,” says educator Carolina Perez, author of the book “Trapped to the Screen.”
“All scientific evidence indicates that smartphones must be used by children over the age of 16 to use them in a healthy way.”
In addition to its mental health impact, the use of ramp-prolonged mobile phones also affects learning, concentration and knowledge acquisition, Alessandri added.
Last month, the Chilean Senate Board of Education approved a bill that sought to ban and regulate the use of digital devices in educational facilities nationwide. Following approval by the committee, the initiative will need to be discussed and voted by the senators.
