As the new school term commenced on September 1st, a newly implemented regulation in Chongqing has officially granted schools the authority to prohibit students from bringing smartphones and other smart devices onto campus.

The Chongqing Municipal Regulations on the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency, which took effect on the first day of September, explicitly states in its 29th article that schools may ban students from carrying smart terminal products like mobile phones into school premises or using them within the campus. For devices that are permitted entry under special circumstances, schools are required to manage them centrally, ensuring they are kept out of classrooms unless specifically needed for teaching purposes.

First-Day Implementation Across Schools

On the opening day of the autumn semester, reporters visited several primary and secondary schools in Chongqing to observe how the new regulation is being put into practice. At Nanping Middle School, students were seen voluntarily handing their phones to accompanying parents at the school gates or placing them into storage upon entering, before teachers took over custody.

In one classroom at Jiangbei Middle School, the homeroom teacher methodically counted, registered, and stored the phones submitted by students. Classes that had already adopted this unified management approach reported smooth operations, with students generally cooperating with the process.

A grade-level head for the third year of junior high at the school noted that the institution had not yet enforced a complete ban on electronic devices, instead continuing its previous management style. "Before the term began, our school held meetings to discuss how to implement the new rules," she said. "For now, we are observing the situation, but we plan to gradually introduce the ban on electronic products after the mid-term exams this semester."

Jiang Yongsong, director of the moral education department at Chongqing No. 29 Middle School, explained that following the regulation's implementation, the school notified parents through class group chats. "We are not taking a one-size-fits-all approach," Jiang stated. "If a student genuinely needs to bring a phone to school, parents can submit a written request, and the school will handle it on a case-by-case basis while keeping communication open between home and school."

Reporters also learned that Qiuqin Middle School has already enforced a ban on smart devices, including phones, for the past two years. Wang Xi, the school's discipline inspection secretary, revealed that before the term started, the management rule was incorporated into two school-compiled handbooks, the Qiuqin Youth Growth Guide and the Home-School Co-Education Parent Reader, and was listed among the most critical behavioral boundaries communicated to both students and parents.

Mixed Reactions from Students and Parents

Students expressed a range of views, with many showing support for the new rules. Zhang Minhao, a seventh-grade student at Jiangbei Middle School who does not own a phone but wears a smartwatch, stated, "Having the watch stored with the teacher during class is acceptable to me." When asked about the school's phone ban, he responded straightforwardly: "I don't have a phone, so it doesn't affect me."

Xiao Junyi, a student at Chongqing No. 29 Middle School, mentioned that teachers had surveyed parents before the term to compile a list of students bringing watches or phones. Each morning, the class monitor collects these devices according to the list. She praised the management method, saying, "This rule is very good. Sneaking a phone out during class to play games really hurts academic performance and prevents you from concentrating on the lesson."

Freshmen at Qiuqin Middle School, Shen Yihan and Yang Peiqi, have adapted well to the new regulations. Yang's phone remains at home under her parents' custody, while her smartwatch is handed to the teacher upon arrival. Shen learned about the rule through the principal's speech, classroom announcements, and online sources, and believes it helps students manage their phone usage better and focus more on their studies. Two days into the term, he observed that classmates are "studying well even without phones."

Interviews revealed that while parents largely back the stricter phone management, their primary concern centers on safety and communication. "I support the ban, but I'm worried about my child's safety when she returns home alone on weekends, and what if she needs emotional support and can't reach us?" said Ren Gui, a parent of a boarding student at Bishan Middle School. She emphasized that phone management cannot rely solely on schools, cautioning that "some kids buy phones behind their parents' backs, turning in one while hiding another to use in the dormitory. Parents need to communicate well with their children, spend more time with them, and have heart-to-heart talks."

Ye Duoyan, a parent of a day student at Jiangbei Middle School, expressed no such worries: "Our home is close to the school, and it's quite safe." Although Ye had not received prior notification about the new regulation, she still voiced her support for the phone ban.

Outside Daping Primary School in Yuzhong District, a parent told reporters that while she is aware of the school's rule prohibiting phones and smartwatches, she has formally reported her child's watch to the school due to concerns about emergencies. Both she and her husband work, and their schedules sometimes overlap, leaving the child unable to reach them during urgent situations.

Schools: Legal Backing Strengthens Enforcement but Demands Fine-Tuned Management

At Chongqing Normal University Affiliated Science City Middle School, phone management was already governed by school regulations. English teacher and deputy homeroom advisor Hu Ranruian observed, "Initially, some students were skeptical or resistant, but by the middle to later part of the semester, most came to accept and understand the policy." With management now grounded in local legislation rather than just school rules, enforcement carries more weight and runs more smoothly, saving "a lot of unnecessary debate." However, Hu expressed concerns about potential pushback during the early stages, noting, "I fear that teenagers in their rebellious phase might feel restricted, which could backfire."

A representative from Renhe Primary School in Liangjiang New Area stated that while students are generally not allowed to bring personal phones to campus, the school has established a communication hotline with homeroom teachers and installed public telephones on campus to meet students' calling needs. Students can also request to have their smartwatches managed by teachers.

Jiang Yongsong believes that with a legal basis, schools and teachers can "act with more justification," making implementation smoother and home-school communication more effective. Still, he acknowledged that phone management adds to teachers' workloads. "Figuring out how to communicate scientifically and reasonably with students and parents is a challenge," he said. "Managing electronic devices indeed diverts a considerable amount of educators' energy."

Wang Xi noted that while the vast majority of parents support the phone ban, a few remain hesitant, believing that phones and tablets might actually aid learning. "Going forward, we will further refine our management methods and disciplinary procedures in line with the new regulations," she added.

Legal Interpretation: Authorization and National Precedents

Why has campus phone management been written into local legislation? A relevant official from the Chongqing Municipal People's Congress Social Affairs Committee explained that the provision draws from the Ministry of Education's 2021 Regulations on the Protection of Minors in Schools. During legislative research, schools and teachers highlighted that some minors are exposed to harmful information through phone use, which can negatively impact their development of sound worldviews and values, sometimes even leading them down the path of delinquency. Consequently, the new regulation cites the ministry's departmental rules, authorizing schools to prohibit students from bringing smart terminal devices into school or using them on campus, aiming to better prevent and curb minors' internet addiction.

The regulation intentionally uses the phrasing "schools may prohibit" rather than a blanket "uniform prohibition." The official clarified that whether students can bring smart devices to school and use them is left to each school's discretion, as the law does not impose a mandatory, uniform requirement. Given that different schools have different circumstances, authorizing schools to decide independently allows them to adapt to their specific needs.

Does the rule extend to smartwatches worn by students? The official explained that any electronic device with an operating system, network connectivity, and the ability to install third-party software—including phones, tablets, smart bands, and smartwatches—falls under the category of smart terminal devices. Ultimately, it is up to each school to determine the specifics.

Chongqing is not the first jurisdiction to regulate campus phone use through legislation. In 2018, Shandong Province took the lead in banning primary and secondary students from bringing phones and tablets into classrooms. In September 2022, Fujian Province enacted the nation's first local regulation specifically targeting campus phone management, prohibiting students from bringing phones and smartwatches into classrooms. Since 2024, both Guangzhou and Zhengzhou have clarified through local regulations and special decisions by their people's congresses that schools may prohibit or strictly restrict students from carrying smart terminal devices onto campus. Additionally, Ningxia's local regulations on minors' protection, effective this January, also explicitly forbid smartphones and smartwatches in classrooms.

From Shandong and Fujian to Guangzhou and Zhengzhou, campus phone management is steadily evolving from school-level rules into statutory law. On the first day the regulation took effect in Chongqing, various schools began implementing phone management according to their own circumstances—some with unified storage systems already in place, others still in the planning and observation phase. Finding the balance between effective device control, ensuring students' legitimate communication needs, and fostering their ability to self-regulate remains a collective challenge for schools, families, and society as a whole.