Brussels schools put anti-mobile phone pockets to the test
From September 2025, mobile phones will be banned in all primary and secondary schools in the Brussels-Wallonia Federation. In practice, many schools already implement this rule, but are finding it difficult to monitor. With this in mind, three Bruss
From September 2025, mobile phones will be banned in all primary and secondary schools in the Brussels-Wallonia Federation. In practice, many schools already implement this rule, but are finding it difficult to monitor.
With this in mind, three Brussels-City schools are testing anti-smartphone pockets in a pilot project run by the commune.
Pupils put their phones into the pouch in the morning and lock it using a magnetic terminal at the school entrance.
The schoolchildren can only unlock the pouch and retrieve their phone when they leave school at the end of the day.
Faouzia Hariche, Brussels alderwoman for French-language public education, youth, human resources and public patrimony, said that the idea is “to extend it to other schools if it proves effective”.
She said the aim is not only to protect pupils’ concentration, but also to combat cyberbullying.
However, this measure comes at a cost: at €15 per pocket, or €12,000 for a school such as the Athénée des Pagodes in Neder-over-Heembeek, one of the schools using the devices. The City of Brussels will evaluate the pilot scheme at the end of this school year in June 2025.
Athénée des Pagodes headmaster Fabrice Van Stichel told RTBF: “The system is working well so far, but it is going to take some getting used to.”
Telephones have been banned for a long time, but the rule was difficult to enforce, he added.
“We ask pupils to turn off their phones and put them in the bottom of their bags, but we get feedback from teachers saying that some of them try and look at their mobiles in secret,” he said.
“With these pockets, we can be sure that time at school stays for school and concentration remains optimal.”
Needless to say, the ban’s recipients took a different view: “I feel like I’m in prison, even though I don’t use my phone very much,” said one pupil, Adam.
“They don't trust us and impose things without consulting us,” adds Yannis.
Lina added: “It’s annoying to have to put your phone in the pocket and then take it out. It’s a hassle.”
She adde that having no phone would not magically increase concentration: “If I don’t want to concentrate in class, phone or no phone, I will find other ways of switching off.”
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