Chongqing to Prohibit Student Mobile Phone Use in Schools
A new regulation in Chongqing, effective September 1, 2026, allows schools to ban students from bringing or using smartphones on campus and to restrict their internet access.
Chongqing, China – Schools in Chongqing will soon have the authority to prohibit students from bringing or using smartphones and other smart devices on school grounds, according to a new regulation set to take effect on September 1, 2026. The "Chongqing Regulations on the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency" also imposes strict controls on student internet usage within schools.
This move by Chongqing aligns with a growing trend across China to regulate mobile phone use among students. Several other regions have previously enacted similar policies to manage device usage in educational settings.
For instance, Fujian province legislated a ban on phones and smartwatches in classrooms in 2022. In 2024, Guangzhou introduced regulations permitting primary and secondary schools to forbid students from bringing mobile phones onto school premises. Zhengzhou, in Henan province, also tightened rules in 2024 regarding the entry of smart devices into schools.
Nationally, China's Ministry of Education has been actively working to limit smartphone distractions in schools. In 2021, guidelines were issued stating that students should, in principle, not bring personal mobile phones to campus. The ministry has also prohibited schools from assigning homework that requires the use of mobile phones. Further measures were introduced in 2025, explicitly forbidding "electronic devices such as mobile phones from entering classrooms" and promoting "screen break actions" among students and parents.