A briefing on a €9 million plan to buy phone pouches for schools said they were easy to use, cost effective, and better for “equity” among students.
A Department of Education document said it also avoided mobiles being put “on display” which could be divisive for pupils over who had the most expensive or up-to-date device.
Six schools were contacted about their experiences in using pouches with all of them “very positive” about how it worked.
The briefing said there were half a dozen solutions to avoid use of phones, including placing them in school bags, handing them in at a central location each day, or using a locker.
The other ideas were specific transparent phone lockers, mobile lockers in classes, and the controversial “lockable phone pouch” suggestion.
The briefing said: “All schools have indicated that a solution where students retain responsibility for their phones rather than placing them in a central location is preferable.”
Of schools consulted about pouches, department officials said they were paying between €14 and €27 per pouch with some buying them outright and others renting.
The briefing said one school which had been an ‘early adopter’ of pouches had been able to get them for just €11 each.
Department officials said a working estimate of €20 per pouch would lead to a cost of around €8.57 million in the first year of use.
They estimated a replacement rate of around 20 percent each year meaning there would be a further annual bill of €1.7 million into the future.
However, officials said it was probable a discount could be achieved given the scale of the purchase envisaged.