More than 150 clinicians in England have warned that heavy screen use in classrooms poses risks to children's physical and developmental health, citing evidence linking extended screen exposure to rising short-sightedness and other health problems.
The group, which includes GPs, paediatricians and other specialists, sent an open letter to Education Secretary Lucy Powell and Health Secretary Yvette Cooper stating that tablets and laptops are used in schools without full understanding of their long-term health impacts. The clinicians said they are prescribing glasses, hearing aids and speech therapy to children "for a problem that is unintentionally being made worse in our schools".
The clinicians pointed to an analysis of 276 studies covering 5.4 million participants worldwide, which found short-sightedness prevalence among children and adolescents rose from around 24% in 1990 to almost 36% by 2023. Nearly one million children in England now use screens in most lessons, the letter states.
Dr Becky Foljambe, an NHS GP and founder of Health Professionals for Safer Screens, told the BBC's Today programme that parents had not been given the chance to opt out of "excessive" screen use in schools. She described the rise in short-sightedness as an "explosion" that cannot be explained by genetics alone and criticised arguments that screen use prepares children for a digital world, saying children "also need their sleep, their eyesight, they need rest, they need ability to critically think and appraise".
The letter also warned that children with special educational needs are "disproportionately" directed to screen-based learning.
The Department for Education said it was developing new screen-time guidance for children aged five to 18 and would consult on the safety of artificial intelligence and educational technology in schools. A spokesperson stated that "used well, technology can be a powerful tool to support learners who need it and free up teachers to deliver the excellent education every child deserves".
Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said education technology can provide effective learning tools but should be part of an overall strategy that includes classroom discussion and non-screen activities like PE and breaks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, called for "a healthy balance" and said "greater clarity is needed from the government".