Turkmenistan Updates Mobile Device Rules in Schools, Shifting from 2020 Ban

Turkmenistan's Ministry of Education has introduced new guidelines regulating mobile device use in schools, marking a significant shift from a complete ban implemented in 2020. The order, issued on May 19 and registered by the Ministry of Justice in early June, recognizes the educational value of portable devices including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and smartwatches while establishing safeguards against potential harms.

The guidelines encourage schools to leverage mobile devices as learning tools, requiring them to provide access to multimedia content and help students organize digital textbooks, courses, and other educational materials. The ministry acknowledged that devices can improve educational management quality, particularly in systems lacking reliable internet connectivity. However, the order also addresses growing concerns about health impacts from extended small-screen use, bandwidth congestion when multiple users connect to wireless networks, and the need for secure device storage in educational institutions.

Ethical and technical restrictions form a key component of the new framework. Schools must ensure devices are set to silent or flight mode and prohibit unauthorized video, photo, or audio recordings of students and staff without consent. These measures aim to minimize classroom disruption while maintaining student and staff privacy.

Turkmenistan's shift reflects broader global trends in education policy. A March UNESCO report found that 114 education systems—representing 58 percent of countries worldwide—maintained national bans on mobile phones in schools, up significantly from 40 percent in 2025 and 24 percent in 2023. UNESCO attributed the increase to mounting concerns about declining classroom attention, cyberbullying, and digital device influence on children. However, the agency noted that many countries, including Turkmenistan, are adopting balanced approaches rather than absolute prohibitions, seeking to teach responsible technology use while limiting classroom distraction.

The new guidelines come as part of wider school digitalization efforts in Turkmenistan, a country known for maintaining strict controls over internet access and online content.