About 40% of teachers in Japan face full ban on personal phones at school: survey

A recent survey conducted in Japan has revealed that about 40% of teachers are completely prohibited from using personal smartphones at school, according to an education expert. The survey, conducted in response to growing local government restrictions on teachers' personal smartphone use, gathered responses from 370 teachers across public elementary, junior high, and high schools, as well as special needs schools throughout the country.

The survey found that while 36% of teachers reported strict prohibitions on personal smartphone use at school, this figure increased to approximately 63% when considering partial restrictions, such as bans on taking photos or videos. Restrictions were particularly common in elementary and junior high schools, with around 70% of teachers reporting some form of limitation on smartphone use.

When it comes to using personal smartphones for work at school, 40% of teachers stated they never use them, while 34% said they use them daily. Even among teachers whose smartphone use at school is completely prohibited, about 40% admitted to using personal smartphones for work. The most common reason for using personal smartphones was to communicate smoothly with colleagues, followed by looking up information (48%) and the need for rapid response in emergencies (46%).

Respondents also cited emergency response to sudden illnesses or injuries as a situation where they struggled without access to a smartphone. The majority of teachers, 83%, said that official work smartphones have not been provided or equipped, followed by 10% who mentioned that shared devices for the entire school have been provided. Senoo emphasized that teachers rely on personal smartphones because their work often requires immediate access, and a blanket prohibition is impractical to enforce in practice.