Valditara’s turning point –

No cell phones in class until middle school, even if for educational purposes. The Minister of Education and Merit, Giuseppe Valditara, speaking in Rome at the conference “The artificial school – Developmental age and technological evolution” announced that he had given the green light to the measure, along with the return to the paper diary for homework. “I signed a circular that from next school year prohibits the use of cell phones for any purpose, including educational, because I do not believe that good teaching can be done with a cell phone until middle school,” explained the minister.

The representative of Giorgia Meloni’s government clarified that “this obviously does not mean the use of tablets or computers, which must be used under the guidance of the teacher”. The previous circular from 2022 that prohibited the use of cell phones and other electronic devices made an exception for cases in which it is authorized by the teacher, “in accordance with the school regulations, for educational, inclusive and formative purposes”.

Valditara also announced a return to the paper diary to mark homework, which will be added to the digital tools already in use. “While parents will continue to be notified with the electronic register, I have ordered that for the next school year and subsequent years the old diary will return, where the child writes down in pen what he or she has to do and homework.” “The parent will be able to check if the child does not show him or her the diary, but we must re-accustom our children to writing, to the relationship with pen and paper,” concluded Valditara.