Chilean school blocks cellphone signals; students report more real-world interaction

A public school in Santiago has begun blocking cellphone signals during the school day, prompting students to spend breaks playing sports, chatting and studying rather than scrolling social media.

Lo Barnechea Bicentenario school, in the wealthy northern Santiago district of Lo Barnechea, implemented the pilot program last month for eighth-grade students, ages 13 and 14. Students are allowed to keep their devices but must place them in a black case designed to block signals; only school inspectors can deactivate the device-locking mechanism. Phones can be used again after school.

"Breaks are very lively now," Humberto Garrido, the school principal, told The Associated Press. The school and the Lo Barnechea mayor's office have also introduced organized activities — including board games in the library, sports and tournaments — intended to encourage bonding and physical activity during recess.

Students described a rapid adjustment. "I feel freer, I spend more time at recess, I spend more time with my classmates. I play a lot, I play a lot more sports," 14-year-old José David said. Thirteen-year-old Francisca Susarte said she preferred the signal-blocking case to handing her phone to a teacher or storing it in a locker, which she said would make her anxious: "With these cases, I feel more comfortable because I still have it and take care of it."

The Lo Barnechea initiative is the first of its kind in Chile and among the earliest in South America, officials said, inspired by examples from schools in the United States and growing regional efforts to regulate smartphone use. The pilot currently applies only to eighth graders but is slated for gradual expansion to all grades and to other schools in the district over the next year.

Local officials have framed the effort as a response to concerns about the effects of prolonged screen time on young people. "Today we have children who are experiencing all kinds of problems: depression, anxiety and obesity," Mayor Felipe Alessandri told the AP. He said the shift to remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic worsened existing academic deficiencies and behavioral problems.

International assessments and academic studies cited by educators add context to those worries. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's 2023 student assessment found that more than half of Chilean students reported being distracted when using digital devices, a rate above the OECD average. Chilean officials note the country leads education indicators in Latin America but still trails the international mean on key measures.

A 2021 study by researchers at King's College London found that young people who considered themselves addicted to their phones were more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression. "These devices have been designed to create addiction," said educator Carolina Pérez, author of the book Kidnapped by the Screens. She said scientific evidence supports limiting smartphone use among children until around age 16.

The policy change occurs as Chilean lawmakers consider national regulation. Last month the Chilean Senate's education committee endorsed a bill that would prohibit and regulate the use of digital devices in educational establishments nationwide; the measure must still be debated and voted on by the full Senate.

School administrators and parents have largely received the Lo Barnechea pilot positively so far, though officials acknowledged it required some adjustment in the first days. The district plans to monitor the program's effects on student well-being and classroom focus as it expands the policy to additional grades and schools.