On December 30, 2024, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, introduced the “Ban on Mobile Phones for Primary and Secondary School Students”, becoming the first city in mainland China to restrict students from bringing mobile phones back to school.
On December 27, the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Zhengzhou, a branch of the Communist Party of China, passed the “Decision on Strengthening the Management of Primary and Secondary School Students’ Use of Mobile Phones and Intelligent Terminals in Schools” (referred to as the “Decision”). With immediate effect, all primary and secondary schools in the city must strictly restrict students from bringing mobile phones and other smart devices into schools, except when necessary for educational purposes, and prohibit them from bringing them into the classrooms.
Regarding the scope of application, the “Decision” defines “primary and secondary school students” as students in primary school, junior high school, regular high school, and secondary vocational schools. As this includes students who have reached the age of majority, the scope of application of the “Decision” is broader than that of the Law on the Protection of Minors.
Additionally, the “Decision” also makes provisions for situations where primary and secondary school students have a genuine need to use mobile phones. This includes situations such as contacting family members on their way to and from school, using public transportation, assisting in learning, and participating in schools that offer smart classrooms, information technology courses, etc., that require the use of tablets during classes.
In response to the above situations, the “Decision” stipulates strict limitations on primary and secondary school students bringing mobile phones and smart devices into schools; except for educational necessities, they are prohibited from bringing them into classrooms.
At the same time, the “Decision” requires schools to set up public telephones in common areas on campus for students to use in case of emergencies to contact their parents or other guardians. If a student truly needs to bring a mobile phone to school, their parents or guardians must submit a written application to the school. If approved, the phone should be handed over to the school for centralized management upon entering the school.
The “Sixth China Underage Internet Usage Survey Report”, released by the World Internet Conference in November, shows that in 2023, the number of underage internet users in China rose to 196 million, with an internet penetration rate among minors reaching 97.3%.