The Secretaría de Educación y Deporte de Chihuahua is developing rules to regulate the use of cellphones in basic education schools [1].
The move addresses a growing tension between digital integration and academic focus. Teachers said that students frequently prioritize social media over their studies, creating a disruptive environment that hinders learning [1].
Education officials said that a significant number of institutions currently operate without any formal guidelines regarding mobile devices. Approximately 5,000 schools in Chihuahua lack established rules for cellphone use [1]. This regulatory vacuum has left individual teachers to manage distractions without a standardized state framework.
To resolve the issue, the ministry is consulting with educators and external experts. The goal is to create a balanced set of norms that define when devices are permitted for educational purposes and when they must be put away. This process seeks to standardize the experience for students across the state, ensuring that academic discipline is consistent regardless of the school district.
The initiative follows a broader trend in several global jurisdictions where authorities are weighing the benefits of technology against the risks of digital distraction. In Chihuahua, the primary driver is the direct feedback from classroom instructors who said the lack of norms has degraded the quality of instruction [1].
Officials said the proposed rules will specifically target basic education levels. The ministry intends to finalize these guidelines after reviewing the feedback from the current consultation phase [1].
“Approximately 5,000 schools in Chihuahua lack established rules for cellphone use.”
This policy shift reflects a growing recognition that the presence of smartphones in classrooms often outweighs their utility as learning tools. By moving from a decentralized approach to a state-mandated framework, Chihuahua is attempting to reduce teacher burnout and reclaim instructional time from the influence of social media algorithms.
