A ban on the use of mobile phones in schools is expected to come into force in January 2026 with the conclusive adoption of amendments to the Preschool and School Education Act, Education and Science Minister Krasimir Valchev said on Monday in the village of Tarnava, Byala Slatina Municipality.
He pointed out that about 800 schools ban cell phones even now by a decision of the school management even before the law has been voted in parliament. In most, the ban is applicable in the classroom but students are allowed to use their phones during the breaks.
According to the Minister, what is more important is how students use their mobile phones during the rest of the day, outside school. “Although phones will be banned in schools, if students continue to spend an average of three hours a day on them outside school, this will come at the expense of developing other essential skills. Children are becoming addicted, their concentration and critical thinking are impaired, and the function of the prefrontal cortex of the brain is altered — something that can already be observed in EEG scans,” Minister Valchev explained.
He cited a study conducted in 88 countries, according to which Bulgarian students rank second in terms of screen time, using that the least for educational purposes and the most for social media.
“That is why we are opening a discussion on the use of social networks. Whether we will reach the point of introducing restrictions is a matter of further dialogue,” the Minister commented. He mentioned a joint European initiative launched by the Danish Presidency for child online safety and suggested it is only a matter of time before restrictions are introduced.
“Even now there are limits on platform registrations — the question is how to make these restrictions more effective,” Valchev added.
The Minister also quoted the Danish Prime Minister as saying, ”We have unleashed a monster. Mobile phones and social media are stealing our children’s childhood.”
Valchev underscored that efforts to limit screen time must be jointly undertaken by the education system and parents.
Krasimir Valchev was in the village of Tarnava for the opening of a new gym at the local primary school. The facility was built with funding from the Ministry of Education and Science, worth nearly BGN 1.5 million.
He also held a meeting with teachers from Byala Slatina Municipality. Bulgarian Schools to Ban Mobile Phones as of January 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-11-03 14:05:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law