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Does Estonia Ban Phones in Schools? What Schools Need to Know in 2026
No. Estonia has no national ban on phones in schools. Each school sets its own rules, and in January 2025 the education ministry said it would oblige schools to set smart-device rules rather than impose a uniform national ban.
There is no national phone ban. Each school decides its own approach, and rules range from lessons-only restrictions to full-day bans. Schools can ban phone use in lessons without permission and keep devices off desks during tests. One overview of Estonian rules notes that schools cannot require every pupil to hand in a device, even after a breach, so school leaders should check their internal rules against current law.
In January 2025 the Ministry of Education and Research said it would oblige schools to organise smart-device use, with rules agreed with parents and boards and health-based guidance by age. Its policy lead said a uniform ban would not achieve the desired outcomes, and the health minister called a blanket ban unsustainable. In May 2025 the education minister stressed using digital tools in teaching instead. We could not confirm when the obligation took effect.
Practice varies by school. Some already use collection boxes, where pupils put phones away on arrival or during tests and take them back later. Younger pupils tend to face firmer rules, while older students often use phones in lessons for schoolwork. The ministry's stated aim is that each school's rules appear in its internal regulations so parents know what to expect when choosing a school.
Whatever the rule in Estonia requires at your school, whether a põhikool or a gümnaasium, lockable pouches let students keep their own phone, locked, from the first bell to the last, so the school does not collect, store or answer for devices. Before The Internet ships lockable phone pouches and unlocking bases worldwide, including to Estonia, and can print the school's name or crest on them. Schools buy them outright: one price, no subscription, lease or per-student annual licence. Send us your student numbers and any written quote you already have, and we will beat it.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a national phone ban in Estonian schools?
No. The ministry rejected a uniform ban in favour of requiring each school to set its own rules.
Can an Estonian school ban phones for the whole day?
Some schools do run full-day bans. Because there are limits on requiring pupils to surrender devices, schools should take legal advice on how they enforce one.
Can Estonian schools use phone pouches?
Pouches let pupils keep their own phone, locked, rather than handing it in, which fits a school-set rule. Schools should write the arrangement into their internal regulations.
Related reading
School phone bans by country · Phone-free schools toolkit · How to roll out phone pouches in a school
Written by the team at Before The Internet, a Toronto-based phone-free company that rents lockable phone pouches for events across North America and sells them to schools and venues worldwide, shipping purchases to any country.
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