A study conducted by the Frente Parlamentar Mista da Educação, in partnership with Equidade.info, an initiative of the Lemann Center at Stanford Graduate School of Education, revealed that 83% of Brazilian students have been paying more attention in class after the restriction on cell phone use in classrooms.
The perception of positive impact is greater in the early years of Ensino Fundamental I, with 88% stating they pay more attention in class. In Ensino Médio, 70% said they perceive improvements without cell phones.
The study also shows that 77% of school managers and 65% of teachers reported a decrease in virtual bullying within schools. Among students, however, only 41% said they feel this change, suggesting that some conflicts may not be reported by students or perceived by teachers and school managers.
Boredom increases
According to the survey data, 44% of students said they feel more bored during breaks and recesses. These numbers are higher among students in Ensino Fundamental I (47%) and in the morning shift (46%). Additionally, 49% of teachers reported an increase in anxiety among students due to the lack of cell phone use.
Regarding student behavior, the Northeast stands out positively, accounting for 87% of the advances. The Central-West and Southeast are the regions with the lowest improvement rates in the school environment, with 82% indicating that the effectiveness of the measures tends to vary by regional factors.
“Protecting our students from cell phone use in the classroom ensures a healthier environment focused on learning. The result we see today confirms that education must be a priority, with policies that address the present and prepare the future of our youth,” said the president of the Frente Parlamentar Mista da Educação, Deputy Rafael Brito.
The president of Equidade.info, Claudia Costin, emphasized that the research shows positive advances in students’ focus and attention, but issues like boredom, anxiety, and bullying, still very present among students, indicate that there are still challenges to be addressed.
“There was a significant drop in virtual bullying from the managers’ perspective, but it is crucial to listen to the students who still feel the problem. In other words, the conclusion is that the restriction was positive, but not enough on its own: schools need to create alternatives for interaction and specific strategies for each age group,” she assesses.
Strategies
According to the coordinator of Equidade.info and professor at Stanford Graduate School of Education, who led the research, Guilherme Lichand, the data reinforces the need for differentiated strategies by age group and school network, as well as the development of pedagogical practices that keep students engaged and promote their well-being even without cell phones in the classroom.
“The results confirm that regulating cell phone use has brought important gains for learning. More than limiting cell phone use, the law opens space to rethink how the school connects with students. The next step is to ensure that the law’s implementation is effective at all levels, respecting the particularities of each school context. This way, we can transform the measure into a lasting policy that unites academic focus and student well-being,” he emphasizes.
The law prohibiting cell phone use in schools by students was sanctioned in January 2025 after approval by the National Congress.
The study surveyed 2,840 students, 348 teachers, and 201 managers in public municipal, state, and private schools across all regions of the country, between May and July 2025.
Source: Agência Brasil