Gillian Keegan defends new guidance to ‘ban’ mobile phones in schools

Gillian Keegan has defended new guidance intended to stop the use of mobile phones during the school day.

Many schools already prohibit the use of devices in the classroom and the education secretary was challenged on the suggestion that the government is just “repeating guidance” when headteachers “have bigger problems on their hands”.

“We do know that many schools have mobile phone bans in place but they are not consistent,” Ms Keegan said during an appearance on Good Morning Britain on Monday 19 February.

“It is a change.”

Ms Keegan added that schools “welcome” guidance from the Department of Education.