12/02/2024
Ben
[FYI request #25347 email]
Tēnā koe Ben
OIA: 1320870- Cellphone Ban
Thank you for your email of 8 January 2024 (and later confirmation to remove part 7 of your
request on 09 February 2024) to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) requesting the following
information:
1. Under what statutory or other authority has the Minister/Ministry directed schools to have a
cellphone policy?
2. Other than having a cellphone policy, what other requirements has the Minister/Ministry
imposed?
3. Has the Minister/Ministry imposed any requirements for the content of the policy? (ie things
that must, must not, or may be in the policy)
4. Has the Minister/Ministry imposed any requirements for the process by which the policy is
to be created? In particular, are schools required to consult on the [sic]
5. Is the cellphone policy required to restrict cellphone availability/use, or can it maintain
existing levels of availability use? Can the policy apply different restrictions to different age
groups (for example, allowing final years students at college greater access)?
6. Are the policy exemptions for health conditions and special learning circumstances
determined by the Minister/Ministry or the school? Are other exemptions permitted? Who
wil determine whether an exemption applies to a particular case? What protections are
there if schools do have a sufficient exemption, or apply the exemption appropriately?
7. In relation to the power in question 1, what other subjects have been the subject of similar
directions in the past six years? Are there other potential directions under consideration?
I request the following documents:
A. Al advice (including any decision papers or cabinet papers) in relation to the "cellphone
ban".
8 Gilmer Terrace, Levels Ground floor, 1, 2, and 6-14, Wellington
PO Box 1666, Wel ington 6140 Phone: +64 4 463 8000
B. Copies of all communications to schools about the cellphone ban (but, for the avoidance of
doubt, where substantially the same communication has been sent to more than one
school, only one copy is requested)
Your request has been considered under the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act).
The Ministry needs to extend the timeframe for responding to your request, pursuant to section
15A(1)(b) of the Act, as consultations necessary to make a decision on the request are such that a
proper response cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit. You can now expect to
receive a response to your request on or before 12 March 2024, which is an extension of 20
working days.
You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to investigate our decision to extend the timeframe for
responding to this request, in accordance with section 28 of the Act. You can do this by writing to
[email address] or Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nāku noa, nā
Cindy McDonald
Principal Advisor
Government, Executive and Ministerial Services
