Survey in Yerevan finds broad support for school phone ban despite mixed impact on student attention

A large-scale survey conducted at schools in Yerevan reveals predominantly positive attitudes toward the ban on mobile phone use during class, though student responses indicate a more nuanced impact on attention and academic performance.

The findings were presented by Head of the Department of General Education Margarita Khachatryan during a municipal briefing on Monday, drawing on responses from approximately 20,000 randomly selected participants, including teachers, students and parents. Notably, 48.2% of surveyed educators reported more than 20 years of professional experience, while seventh-grade students were among the most active respondents.

Awareness of the policy varied across groups. While 93.5% of teachers and 85.7% of parents reported being informed of the restriction, only 72.9% of students indicated awareness, suggesting gaps in communication or enforcement.

A majority of respondents said the ban has improved classroom focus, including 63.7% of teachers, 58.5% of students and 82.5% of parents. However, 16% of students reported that the restriction had adversely affected their attention and half said it had no measurable impact on their academic performance. Among parents, 25.2% similarly reported no effect on outcomes.

At the same time, 71.2% of teachers acknowledged that mobile phone use may be necessary in certain instructional contexts.

The survey also highlighted broader social effects, with 63.4% of respondents stating that the ban has reduced online conflicts and incidents of cyberbullying. Overall, the policy received strong approval, with 93.3% of teachers, 82.7% of students, and 96.5% of parents expressing positive evaluations.

Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan hailed the decision to ban mobile phones in schools.