UAE schools ban mobile phones in classrooms: Confiscation rules, attendance limits and new schedules for 2026-27

Dubai: Government and private schools have activated a package of procedures and operational plans to ensure student discipline and regularity, based on tightening the ban on the use of mobile phones within the school environment, monitoring attendance and absence at the class level, in addition to early notification to parents, and following up on cases of absence and repeated violations through school administrations, student affairs and relevant specialists. Since the first day of the new academic year, schools have circulated rules for attendance and absence to students and parents, stressing that regular attendance is a fundamental pillar for the continuity of learning, raising achievement, and establishing responsibility and discipline. These circulars stressed the importance of not being absent on specific days, especially Friday, the days before and after official holidays, the period before final exams, and the last two weeks of the second semester, while setting a ceiling for unjustified absence at five days per semester, and a maximum of 15 days during the year. School principals revealed six measures to tighten discipline and protect learning time, foremost among them being the neutralisation of mobile phones as one of the most prominent distractions for students inside classrooms. Phones banned in schools Dr. Michael Bartlett, Director General of Dubai Modern Education School, said that the effectiveness of the ban is not achieved simply by announcing that “phones are prohibited,” but is based on clear and unified rules known to the student, the parent, and the teacher. He explained that confiscating the phone is subject to an organised process that begins with documenting the violation, storing the device securely, informing the student and his guardian, and then returning it according to the approved regulations, while repeated violations are subject to broader follow-up by the administration and student affairs. Dr. Michael Bartlett, Director General of Dubai Modern Education School. Picture credit: Supplied The principal of GEMS Gulf International School, Ghadeer Abu Shamat, stated that tightening restrictions on phones does not mean excluding technology from classrooms, but rather aims to separate personal use from the organised educational use of digital devices. Computers, tablets, and educational platforms remain part of learning tools when used under the supervision of the teacher and for a specific academic purpose. She explained that the deciding factor in using devices inside the classroom is the "purpose," as accessing an e-book or educational platform and carrying out a classroom activity is radically different from using the phone for messaging, taking pictures, or browsing content during the lesson. She added that the teacher controls the timing, duration, and purpose of using technology, ensuring that the device remains a tool for learning and not a source of distraction. She stressed that unifying the rules of use resolves individual interpretations within classrooms and preserves class time for teaching and learning. The director of Al Maarefa School, Samer Sarhan, stressed the tightening of controls on bringing mobile phones to school or misusing means of communication, aim to protect students, promote discipline and positive behaviour, and provide a safe educational environment, away from practices that may disrupt the educational process or offend others. He added that using the phone for non-educational purposes requires the application of penalties stipulated in the regulations, in addition to summoning the parents and informing them of the details of the violation, and their signing of the official forms. He explained that any phone found in the student’s possession inside the school is subject to confiscation, according to the Student Behaviour Management Regulations, with the parents being notified of the violation. The phone is held for a month the first time, while the confiscation extends until the end of the school year if the violation is repeated. Attendance is key Samar Mohammed, the principal of the School of Scientific Creativity, said that monitoring attendance in each class gives the administration an immediate picture of student attendance and reveals patterns of absence before they turn into a recurring behaviour that wastes learning time and is reflected in academic achievement. She added that the system detects ‘selective absence’ when a student is repeatedly absent from a particular subject or time, in addition to monitoring repeated lateness, which allows for early intervention, studying the reasons, and communicating with the family before the situation worsens. Teacher Ribal Ghassan Al-Ata said that the teacher represents the first line of monitoring within the classroom, whether in recording attendance or following up on compliance with device regulations, but the success of the system requires quick electronic procedures that do not waste class t