The NSW Government will end bring your own device (BYOD) requirements in public primary schools from 2027, it announced on Sunday.
Parents of public primary students in 2027 will no longer have to buy a laptop or tablet because of a school BYOD policy. Premier Chris Minns said families “won’t have to shell out for expensive devices”.
What changes
- Primary schools: no school can require students to bring their own device.
- High schools: BYOD stays voluntary. Schools will be reminded that students can’t be forced to bring a device and that alternatives must be offered.
- Monitoring: BYOD use will be evaluated through 2027 to inform future policy.
Devices aren’t banned. Students will use school-supplied technology where the government says it adds educational value.
Screen time limits
The move lines up with new screen use guidelines, recommended from the first day of 2027 and mandatory from 2028. According to the government, they will limit individual device time to:
| Year level | Average screen limit |
|---|---|
| K–2 | 15 minutes a day |
| Years 5–6 | 45 minutes a day |
| Years 7–10 | A quarter of weekly lesson time |
| Years 11–12 | Half of weekly lesson time |
There will be no screen-based homework before Year 5, with exemptions for disability, additional needs and subjects where screens are essential.
Why now
The government pointed to a Macquarie University report, funded by its screen use research fund, in which 84% of high school and 57% of primary students said screens distracted them in class. Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car also framed the change as cost-of-living relief heading into Christmas.
