More than 150 clinicians have warned that the amount of time children in England spend on screens at school could be harming their "physical and developmental health," the BBC reported. In an open letter to Education Secretary Lucy Powell and Health Secretary Yvette Cooper, GPs, paediatricians, and other specialists said tablets and laptops are being used without a full understanding of long-term impacts, including on eye health. They said they are prescribing glasses, hearing aids, and speech therapy to children "for a problem that is unintentionally being made worse in our schools." The government said it was consulting on screen-time guidance for children aged five to 18, but that technology can be a powerful learning tool if used properly.
The clinicians said nearly one million children are using screens in most lessons, despite studies suggesting a rise in short-sightedness. They pointed to an analysis of 276 studies covering 5.4 million participants worldwide, which they said found a rise in short-sightedness among children and adolescents from about 24% in 1990 to almost 36% by 2023, a condition associated with a higher risk of other eye problems. Many children, the letter said, now spend longer on screens in the classroom than is recommended in a 24-hour period. The group said it was "conscious that some of this evidence is still surfacing but the direction of travel is consistent across multiple, independent, and in some cases very large, bodies of research." It also warned that children with special educational needs are "disproportionately" directed to screen-based learning.
Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said education technology can provide "very effective learning tools," but only as part of a wider strategy that includes classroom discussion and plenty of non-screen time such as PE and break. "We would welcome the development of practical, evidence-based guidance," he said. Paul Whiteman of the National Association of Head Teachers said a "healthy balance" was important and that "greater clarity is needed from the government." A Department for Education spokesperson said the government was developing new guidance and would consult on the safety of artificial intelligence and educational technology in schools. "Used well, technology can be a powerful tool to support learners who need it and free up teachers," the department said.
The letter lands after a smartphone ban in English schools came into force in June, making schools and trusts legally responsible for being phone-free during the day. The clinicians' argument is about classroom laptops and tablets, not only personal phones. The verified news is a large professional warning and a government promise of guidance, not a new legal ban on screens in lessons.