SINGAPORE – Nearly 10 secondary schools in Singapore are installing mobile phone lockers in 2026 to store students’ devices during school hours.

Unlike general lockers which are managed by the students and can hold items such as files and textbooks, these lockers are specifically for mobile devices and are typically handled by school teachers.

This follows new guidelines announced by the Education Ministry (MOE) in November 2025, banning the use of smartphones during the entire school day.

Previously, restrictions applied only during regular curriculum time, with some schools allowing phone use during break times.

Under the stricter rules that kicked in from January 2026, secondary school students are 

not allowed to use their devices outside lesson time

Madam Agnes Monica, 49, whose son studies at St Gabriel’s Secondary School, said she supports the stricter phone use guidelines.

At her son’s school, security guards remind students to switch off their phones upon entry, and devices are kept in general lockers outside the classroom.

“Recess should be a time to engage with friends and take a mental break from gadgets. It’s a short moment to breathe,” she said.

Madam Agnes, who works in hospitality, said the school has offered a suitable alternative for parents to reach their children, directing them to its general hotline for emergencies.

“If it’s really urgent, the school is very cooperative in getting our child to call us back,” she said.

Her son, Lashaun G’haran, 13, admits that h...