Government Directs Comprehensive Plan for Student Smartphone Use

The Government recently issued Resolution No. 353/NQ-CP dated November 6, 2026, requiring the Ministry of Education and Training to take the lead in drafting a comprehensive plan on managing student smartphone use and social media in educational institutions^1,3. This policy will be designed to establish categorized standards suited for each specific educational level nationwide^1,2.

Photo: A public school, high school classroom in the United States 02 – Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

New regulations under Resolution 353/NQ-CP

According to Resolution No. 353/NQ-CP on the regular meeting for October 2026, the Government has assigned the Ministry of Education and Training to coordinate with specialized agencies and local authorities to finalize the project dossier for early submission and enactment^2,3. The plan aims to control students' exploitation of smart handheld devices as well as social media applications within school grounds^1,2.

Photo: Putrajaya Malaysia Federal-Government-Administrative-Centre-BlockD9-01 – CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Along with this task, Resolution 353/NQ-CP also sets out requirements to review and reduce the workload of general curriculum content and textbooks^2,3. At the same time, the education sector must coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to thoroughly resolve the shortage of schools and classrooms, as well as enhance solutions to prevent school violence to maintain a healthy training environment^1,2,3.

Shortcomings of old mechanisms and spontaneous measures

Regulations on bringing personal devices into the classroom have been applied since 2020 under school charters^1,2. This legal framework allows students to use phones right during lessons to look up reference materials if approved by the classroom teacher, while not imposing a ban on usage during recess^1,2.

Although facilitating online knowledge searching, the above regulation has faced mixed opinions from school administrators, teachers, and parents due to the risk of students getting distracted and attending to personal matters^1,2. To limit negative impacts, over the past two years, many localities have proactively introduced solutions to collect and store phones before class and only return them after school^1,2. Typically in Ho Chi Minh City, more than 500 educational facilities have applied restrictions on phone use during break times and designed other activities for students to participate in¹.

Trend of digital device control in schools

Data from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published as of March 2026 shows that 114 educational systems—accounting for about 58% of countries and territories globally—have applied phone bans in schools¹. This rate records a significant increase compared to the 24% figure recorded in 2023¹.

Photo: (2011 Education for All Global Monitoring Report) -School children in Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya 1 – D. Willetts, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo, via Wikimedia Commons.

In Vietnam, survey results conducted by VnExpress in July 2025 with the participation of more than 13,300 readers showed that 84% of opinions supported banning students from using phones at school¹. These data demonstrate a growing consensus on the necessity of establishing clear boundaries for technology devices in general education¹.

Vizy's take

According to Vizy, the Government's issuance of a directive to build a unified plan instead of letting schools manage on their own is a necessary step. Data from UNESCO shows that the world is tightening phone usage in classrooms to protect students' concentration, and Vietnam is no exception. When smartphones come with social media algorithms that easily cause distractions, classrooms need to reclaim their role as spaces for direct interaction.

However, Vizy believes that the biggest challenge of the plan will be allocating boundaries by educational level. High school students still have the need to exploit digital materials and practical technology skills, while primary or lower secondary levels need to prioritize physical health and social communication. Instead of a mechanical absolute ban, a centralized device management mechanism by time frames combined with digital culture training could yield more sustainable effectiveness for schools.

Sources

1. VnExpress – Chính phủ yêu cầu lập đề án quản lý học sinh dùng điện thoại (2026-11-08)
2. Tuổi Trẻ – Chính phủ yêu cầu xây dựng đề án quản lý học sinh dùng điện thoại thông minh, mạng xã hội (2026-11-08)
3. Cổng TTĐT Chính phủ – Xây dựng chính sách – Triển khai xây dựng Đề án về quản lý sử dụng điện thoại thông minh, mạng xã hội tại các cơ sở giáo dục (2026-11-08)
4. LuatVietnam – Văn bản mới – Kế hoạch 9746/KH-UBND của Ủy ban nhân dân tỉnh Lai Châu triển khai thực hiện phong trào thi đua “Đẩy mạnh chăm lo người có công với cách mạng” trên địa bàn tỉnh Lai Châu (Bảy, 07 T)
5. Tuổi Trẻ – Học bổng của Chính phủ Singapore sắp mở: Học sinh Việt cần chuẩn bị gì? (2026-11-08)

Compiled and analysed by Vizy from the sources above and reviewed by a Bống Media editor before publication. "Vizy's take" is the author's own opinion. For information only, not investment advice.