NSW to cap classroom screen time and push daily pen-and-paper learning
New South Wales will impose strict new limits on screen use in public school classrooms from 2028, a move that puts tablets and laptops on
New South Wales will impose strict new limits on screen use in public school classrooms from 2028, a move that puts tablets and laptops on a tighter leash and gives pen-and-paper work a bigger role in the school day. The state government says the rules will apply across year levels, with younger children facing the sharpest caps.
The shift comes after a similar announcement in Victoria and after federal education minister Jason Clare suggested students may need a “digital detox”. The debate lands at a moment when schools across the world are still working out how much technology belongs in the classroom — and how much is too much.
What the new limits look like
Under the NSW rules, children in Kindergarten to Year 2 will be limited to 15 minutes a day of learning on individual devices such as tablets or laptops. Students in Years 3 and 4 will be allowed up to 30 minutes a day, while Years 5 and 6 will get 45 minutes.
For older students, the system is more subject-based. In Years 7 to 10, personal digital devices will be limited to a quarter of subject time. Senior high school classes will also face restrictions, though the source material does not give the full detail for those year levels.
The government is also pushing daily “pen and paper” learning, signalling a firmer turn away from heavy in-class device use. The move is likely to be closely watched by educators in other countries, especially where schools have expanded one-to-one device programs over the past decade.
Why it matters beyond NSW
The policy sits inside a wider international conversation about screen time, attention spans and how children learn best. Some education systems have embraced laptops and tablets as standard kit. Others have started to pull back, especially for younger pupils, as concerns grow about distraction and overreliance on screens.
NSW is now joining the latter camp. The timing matters too: the state’s rules will not take effect immediately, but from 2028, giving schools time to adjust timetables, teaching plans and classroom routines.
For parents and teachers, the change is likely to be felt in the small details. Fewer taps. More notebooks. And, in the words of the federal education minister, perhaps a bit of a digital detox.
