{
  "id": 17567627,
  "title": "Experts oppose complete smartphone ban in schools",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/01/experts-oppose-complete-smartphone-ban-in-schools",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-11-01T08:18:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "SABC News",
    "slug": "sabc-news",
    "url": "https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/experts-oppose-complete-smartphone-ban-in-schools/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Education experts argue that smartphones should not be completely banned in schools, but instead used as learning tools. James Lees, CEO of Advantage Learn, explains that most South African students use their phones more for entertainment than for educational purposes. However, Lees emphasizes that smartphones can assist learners in accessing educational content and supporting their studies when used appropriately. He advocates for parents and schools to guide students on responsible cellphone usage. \"From our perspective as an organisation, we do a lot of work in this. We see the use of phones as quite a big opportunity if the control and usage are done very deliberately. We see them as being devices that can actually solve a lot of the challenges that we face as a nation in the education space with lack of resources, lack of access to teachers, etc. So, it depends on how the school lenses it,\" Lees says. As South Africa considers stricter cellphone regulations in educational settings, the main issue at hand is not just the amount of time children spend on their phones, but how they utilize that time.",
  "summary": "Lees says parents and schools should guide learners on responsible cellphone use",
  "key_points": [
    "Experts oppose complete smartphone ban in schools.",
    "Smartphones can assist learners in accessing educational content.",
    "Usage depends on deliberate control and guidance by parents and schools."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}