Denmark—once a “digital-first” education pioneer—is making a sharp U-turn: physical textbooks are returning, and phones/tablets are being restricted during school hours, with devices used only sparingly and under supervision. The reason is simple and very familiar to many parents: when learning moved heavily onto screens, teachers noticed students struggling to concentrate, because distractions are only a swipe away.
The report links this shift to growing concern over teen screen habits and wellbeing—highlighting that heavy social media use can crowd out “protective factors” like sleep, real-life friendships, sports, and family conversations. Denmark has even extended phone-free rules beyond classrooms into youth centres and sports clubs to protect attention and social connection.
For parents of secondary school students, the takeaway isn’t “technology is bad”—it’s that learning works best when screens are used intentionally, not constantly. For Math and Science especially, progress still depends on the basics: writing, showing working, drilling weak areas, and building the stamina to focus—the same skills your child needs for timed tests and national exams.
Why this matters for Math & Science results
When students reduce casual screen switching and return to structured practice, you often see improvements in:
- Accuracy (fewer careless mistakes from rushing/half-attention)
- Understanding (stronger foundations from step-by-step reasoning)
- Confidence (they know why answers work, not just “copied from an app”)
How a good tutor fits into this (without banning tech)
A strong Math/Science tutor can act like “supervised digital balance” in practice:
- Uses printed questions + written working to train focus and exam stamina
- Teaches systems (error log, weekly revision plan, topic targeting)
- Uses tech only where it helps (e.g., quick concept recap, targeted practice), not as a constant background noise
If you’re a parent in Singapore and your Sec-school child is slipping in Math/Science (or studying hard but results don’t move), it may not be motivation—it may be focus + structure. A consistent tutoring routine can rebuild both.