of private schools have already banned the use of phones and McKinnon Secondary School, a government school in Melbourne's bayside has enforced a ban since last year.

Principal Pitsa Binnion believes students at the school have become more entrenched in their studies as a result.

"Our students are more focused learners in the classroom without this distraction," she said.

"[Since the ban] we have observed improved social connections, relationships and interactions in the school during lunchtime."

Asked how the ban would be policed, Mr Merlino said he would issue a ministerial order making it "absolutely clear" for schools.

He said schools embrace technology in the classroom and they want kids to be digitally literate but mobile phones "enable" cyberbullying.

The Liberal National Coalition promised to impose a ban as far back as February 2018,TAMPA — Marcia Woodside Rivers was just a minute's walk away from her Davis Islands apartment Tuesday morning when a garbage truck backed up and ran over her, ending her life, police say.

Friends and colleagues expressed shock. The retired school teacher, 65, had moved to Davis Islands four years ago, and often went for morning walks, those who knew her say.

Tampa police said Wednesday that the driver of the truck, 49-year-old Jarvis Mercer, would be cited in the accident but would not be criminally charged. They were still determining which civil citation should apply.

"There's nothing that would indicate any sort of criminal intent," police spokesman Steve Hegarty said.

Tampa police were called to the scene at 9:14 a.m. Tuesday.

Shortly before the accident, Mercer had picked up a dumpster at