Apart from some minor exemptions, the Manitoba government has banned cellphones in classrooms for the new school year to minimize distractions for students.

“We want young people to be able to focus in class so they can learn more and feel confident. We know cellphones can be a real distraction for students – studies show it can take up to 20 minutes for a child to refocus on what they were learning once distracted,” noted education minister Nello Altomare.

Find out more in this week’s paper.