The ban on mobile phone use in Victorian public schools aimed at curbing distraction and cyberbullying. Education Minister James Merlino said the ban, which would be in place during school hours in state primary and secondary schools, would start in the first term of 2020. Phones must be kept in school lockers from first bell to last bell unless a child needs to keep a phone for medical reasons or if there is a specific instruction from the teacher that the phones are needed for a classroom activity. Mr Merlino said teachers wanted children talking to each other in the schoolyard, not checking their phones. It’s not going to [absolutely] resolve cyberbullying but it will make a big difference.
— source abc.net.au | Jun 25, 2019