NSW to end primary school bring-your-own-device requirements in 2027
Screen time guidelines will become mandatory in 2028, while public high schools will be reminded that participation in device programs is voluntary.
Parents of NSW public primary school students will no longer have to purchase laptops or tablets under school bring-your-own-device policies from 2027, the state government has announced.
The change does not prohibit classroom devices. Instead, the government said schools would supply technology for students to use where it has educational value, with digital literacy remaining part of the curriculum.
Premier Chris Minns said the policy would spare parents the expense of buying devices. He said the availability of technology should not displace reading books and writing.
The government said the measure, alongside screen time guidelines that become compulsory in 2028, was intended to limit schools’ contribution to students’ screen time.
Public secondary schools will also receive a reminder that their bring-your-own-device programs are voluntary. The government said recommended limits on screen time would mean substantially less classroom device use, with learning activities away from screens also to be offered to students.
