Kazakhstan has approved updated rules regulating the use of mobile phones by students during lessons. According to Kazinform, these changes will come into effect on October 9th.
Under the new requirements, students are obliged to set their phones to silent mode or turn them off completely before the start of the lesson. Device use in the classroom is permitted only in specific situations: to complete an educational assignment assigned by the teacher, in case of a threat to life or health, or based on medical indications.
If a smartphone is used directly for educational purposes, the teacher must predetermine the task, the method of its execution, and the permissible time for students to use the device. Specific requirements apply to photography, audio recording, and video recording; such actions are allowed only upon the teacher's instruction and in accordance with legislation on personal data protection and confidentiality.
Educational institutions will also gain the right to provide special storage areas for students' mobile phones. Schools must develop procedures for relaying urgent information between parents and children during the learning process. This will ensure the possibility of prompt communication between parents and students when necessary, despite the restrictions on phone use during classes.
The new rules apply to all secondary educational institutions, regardless of their form of ownership or institutional affiliation.