While Ireland opts for 9m worth of pouches, here's how other countries solved the problem of phones in schools

Each pouch is expected to cost between €20 and €30 and will be purchased in bulk for all secondary schools in the State. Students will be expected to place their device inside the pouch in the morning and keep it by their side throughout the day. The pouch can only be opened by a magnetic device at the discretion of a teacher.

While Education Minister Norma Foley has said there is 'incontrovertible' evidence secondary school students will prosper educationally from such a ban, opposition parties and teacher groups have hit out at the extravagance of the proposal, rather than the ban itself.

In August, the Department of Education announced it was planning to ban mobile phones in secondary schools in response to extensive research which found a link between the devices and distraction, including incidents of cyber bullying.

To answer that, the Irish Independent has examined how different countries have approached the issue. In July of last year, Unesco recommended the banning of smartphones in schools worldwide to curb negative impacts on students' learning.

Read at Irish Independent