South Australia Education Path Leads Back to 2023 Mobile Phone Ban

A ban on mobile phones at public high schools in South Australia, introduced in 2023, continues to significantly improve student behaviour and wellbeing in Adelaide schools.

The 2023 restriction set a foundation for later steps in curriculum design, site construction and staff preparation. Officials at the Department for Education linked the policy to measurable drops in classroom disruption, which in turn freed resources for wider planning across preschool and secondary levels.

Infrastructure decisions follow earlier conduct gains

Construction has begun on a new $155.3 million high school in Eyre, with the 1,300-student campus set to open in 2028. The project sits alongside applications now open for South Australia’s technical colleges for 2027 entry, which give high school students direct routes into trades and technical roles. These builds respond to the same stability goals that prompted the phone ban three years earlier.

Records from the education department show the 2023 rule applied across government high schools in Adelaide and regional centres. The resulting calmer environments allowed planners to shift focus toward long-term enrolment growth and specialist facilities rather than daily management issues.

Training and assessment tools build on the same base

The University of Adelaide is launching new training to boost disability and inclusion studies in teaching degrees, supporting neurodivergent learners in Adelaide classrooms. In Term 3 2025, up to 250 teachers across government and non-government preschool sites in South Australia will trial the Early Years Assessment and Learning Tool. Both programs extend the emphasis on consistent classroom conditions that began with the phone policy.

Parents and schools seeking further details can visit the Department for Education site at education.sa.gov.au for current guidelines on existing programs and upcoming application windows.