Students at Lo Barnechea Bicentenario school in Santiago, Chile, now line up each morning to place their smartphones in special black cases that jam signals, forcing them to disconnect from Instagram and TikTok throughout the school day. What happened next amazed everyone: instead of compulsively scrolling, students rediscovered volleyball, basketball, ping pong, library time, and actual face-to-face conversations with their classmates. Principal Humberto Garrido reports that “breaks are very lively now” as the school implemented comprehensive activities including board games, sports championships, and courtyard games to encourage real-world bonding.
The pioneering program, the first of its kind in Chile and one of the first in South America, targets 13 and 14-year-old eighth graders but will soon expand to all grades across the district. Student José David, 14, says he feels “freer” and spends more time with classmates playing sports instead of watching TikTok, while 13-year-old Francisca feels comfortable because she still keeps her phone but can’t use it during school hours. The initiative addresses Chile’s serious screen time problem, where students spend more time in front of screens than most countries, with over half reporting being distracted by digital devices according to international studies. The program’s success has inspired other Chilean schools to adopt similar measures, proving that when you remove digital distractions, students naturally return to meaningful human connections and physical activities.
