Cut screen time in classrooms to avoid long-term health issues, government urged

By Ottilie Mitchell and Adam Goldsmith, BBC News

A coalition of over 150 clinicians has voiced concerns that the duration children spend using screens in English classrooms may adversely affect their "physical and developmental health."

In an open letter addressed to Education Secretary Lucy Powell and Health Secretary Yvette Cooper, general practitioners, pediatricians, and various specialists have highlighted the use of tablets and laptops without a comprehensive understanding of their potential long-term health ramifications, specifically regarding eye health.

These clinicians report that they are prescribing corrective lenses, hearing aids, and speech therapy to children "for an issue that may be unintentionally exacerbated within our educational settings."

The government commented that it is currently formulating guidance on screen time for children ages five to 18, emphasizing that technology can serve as an effective educational resource when utilized correctly.

The group of clinicians indicated that nearly one million children are currently engaged with screens during the majority of their lessons, despite evidence suggesting an increase in the prevalence of short-sightedness. An examination of 276 studies, encompassing 5.4 million participants globally, indicated that the incidence of short-sightedness among children and adolescents escalated from approximately 24% in 1990 to nearly 36% by 2023. This trend raises concerns, as short-sightedness is linked to a higher risk of various ocular health issues.

According to the clinicians, many children are now exceeding the recommended screen time allocation during school days, with their letter asserting: "As a nation, we must recognize this issue now and begin to scale back screen usage in educational institutions before further harm is done."

Among the signers was Dr. Becky Foljambe, an NHS GP and founder of Health Professionals for Safer Screens. In her remarks on BBC Radio 4's Today program, she highlighted that parents have not been granted the opportunity to "opt out" of what she characterized as the "excessive" reliance on screens in educational environments, which may hinder children's educational success.

Dr. Foljambe remarked that the dramatic rise in short-sightedness "cannot be attributed solely to genetics."

She criticized the perspective that promotes screen use as essential for preparing students for a digital workforce, adding: "They also need their sleep, their eyesight, they need rest, and they need the capacity to think critically and evaluate."

While acknowledging that some evidence is still emerging, the letter emphasized that the overarching trend is consistent across numerous independent studies, including several large-scale investigations.

The letter further cautioned that students with special educational needs are "disproportionately" funneled towards screen-based educational methods.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education indicated that the government is in the process of establishing new screen-time guidelines for children aged five to 18 and will engage in discussions regarding the safety of artificial intelligence and educational technologies in the classroom.

They stated: "When used appropriately, technology can be an influential tool to assist learners who require it and enable teachers to provide the high-quality education that every child deserves."

This announcement follows the implementation of a ban on smartphones in English schools that took effect in June, placing individual schools and trusts under legal obligation to remain phone-free throughout the school day.