Prime Minister Hun Manet has ordered public schools nationwide to prohibit students from using mobile phones during class hours, except when teachers authorise their use for educational purposes, with the policy targeted for full implementation in the 2026–2027 academic year.

He made the remarks in Kampong Thom province on November 3.



He said:

Countries around the world have introduced restrictions on mobile phone use in schools. In Singapore, for example, students are prohibited from using mobile phones and can only retrieve them at the end of the school day. Similar policies are in place in China, the United States, parts of France and more than 100 other countries. Australia has also recently introduced such a policy. Although our Ministry has been working on this for two years, full implementation has yet to be achieved.

I hope that by the 2026–2027 academic year, all schools nationwide, particularly public schools, will ensure that students do not use mobile phones during class without teachers’ permission. I would like to issue a clear directive: mobile phones must not be used during class hours unless teachers explicitly authorise their use for research purposes. Schools must also make proper arrangements to collect and store students’ mobile phones before classes begin.