EDMONTON - A year after Canadian schools implemented a cellphone ban, students and educators are reflecting on its impact. Sixteen-year-old Roha Akram, a Grade 11 student in Calgary, was initially doubtful about the ban. "I was like, 'No one’s going to follow this,'" she recalled. "It’s just the nature of teenagers. We don’t like rules."

The ban, introduced in September, aimed to keep phones out of sight and out of mind during class. Teachers encouraged students to store their devices in backpacks, lockers, or cars. Akram noted that while some students have benefited from the ban, others have struggled. She described an incident where a teacher confiscated a phone from a boy who was particularly attached to it. "He started acting crazy. He went around asking everyone, 'Can I use your phone? Can I use your phone? I need to go on Instagram.' I saw phones are kind of becoming an addiction," she said.

As the school year concludes, education ministries across Canada report positive outcomes from the cellphone restrictions. Officials believe the ban has helped students avoid unhealthy attachments to their devices and focus more on classroom lessons. Last fall, most provinces adopted similar policies, following trends in other countries.

In Manitoba, Education Minister Tracy Schmidt shared a story from a school librarian who noted a lack of social interaction among students. "The students would come in groups, sit down at a table together, pull out their cellphones and they would all sit there. You could hear a pin drop," Schmidt said. The ban has since encouraged more interaction among students. "They still come with their groups of friends, but now they’re sitting, they’re talking, they’re laughing. They might pick up a board game. The librarian was really, really grateful to the province for taking this step," she added.

Ontario's education ministry echoed these sentiments, stating that parents and teachers have observed a better learning environment. Spokesperson Emma Testani said, "As we close out the first full year of implementation, we will continue gathering input to understand how the policy has worked in practice, where it has been effective, and where further support may be needed."

In Nova Scotia, education spokesperson Alex Burke noted the smooth implementation of the ban. "While not all students like leaving their devices out of the classroom, there is a general acceptance of the benefit of limiting cellphone use and appreciation of the opportunity to ignore their phones," Burke said.

The Edmonton Public School Board, Alberta’s largest school division, reported no significant issues with the ban. Spokesperson Kim Smith stated, "Schools had the flexibility to determine how best to implement the ban, whether it meant introducing new practices or adjusting current ones."

However, Akram pointed out that the ban hasn’t completely eliminated cellphone use in classrooms. Some students have become more discreet. "One fellow student used a textbook to hide his phone while teachers were talking. He just watches YouTube Shorts the whole class," she said. Akram admitted to occasionally using her phone during class work, listening to music with her AirPods hidden under her hijab.

When phones are confiscated, they are usually returned at the end of class or the school day. Akram acknowledged the necessity of the ban for her generation, stating, "We were born when people were inventing iPads and iPhones ... so we grew up with screens." She anticipates that teachers will enforce the ban more strictly in the coming year.